


Scintilla

by eotteokeos



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-02-13 13:33:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12985110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eotteokeos/pseuds/eotteokeos
Summary: Park Jihoon and Kang Daniel are childhood friends. They grew up together, slept in each others' houses, shared things, and is transferring to Seoul from Busan for college.College is when bad things happen.Friendship.Relationships.Failing.Friendships ending.And Falling in love.





	1. Wild

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, as always i'm bad at summaries!!!
> 
> Recommended song while reading:  
> Wild - Troye Sivan ft. Alessia Cara (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8G4oaOxyxk)
> 
> Twt: Eotteokeos

_Playing at the food his mother had left him with, he scrunches his face at the uneaten broccoli on his plate and pushes the plate forward, already done with it. He looks at the table with dozens of adults scattering the place and sighs—he was bored and there were no kids his age. He looks around the area and a pout forms on his lips when he sees his parents busy talking to a group of adults._

 

_Pushing his seat back, he stands up and pats off the imaginary dust on his black pants that his mother had specifically chosen for him, rejecting the patched up denim pants that he had wanted to wear. It was cool and everyone in his class wore clothes like that, he sulked, his mother had thrown him a quizzical look. “Yes, they would, if they weren’t attending their father’s company party”._

 

_Okay, she had a point._

 

_He scrunches his nose once more when he looks around for anyone to play with but sighs in disappointment, walking aimlessly to where his feet would take him. He looks at the dozens of flower pieces scattered in the area, the lights illuminating the place, the people in their tux and gowns, and couldn’t help but to scratch at his temples. He wonders for the nth time why his father threw another party. Didn’t he just throw one 6 months ago?_

 

_Minutes passed when he smells a familiar, sweet scent, tempting his senses. He furrows his brows as he looks around, walking towards what he’d deemed the source of the smell and not long after, he grins when he sets his eyes on the table._

 

_Sweets! Dozens of sweets!_

 

_Excitedly marching towards the table full of sweets that his mother would probably kill him for eating (but then she’d never knoew if no one tells her right), he doesn’t stop the smile forming on his face as he takes a plate, placing cupcakes and different pastries on top of another, piling it in heaps._

 

_Moving to a plate full of strawberries, he takes 3 pieces and before he could take another more, he feels someone looking at him from the side. Thinking it was his mother, he slowly turns his head, only coming face to face with someone much younger than him. He looks at the child whose his cheeks were as round as he had but they were more flushed and more plump, and his eyes were big and pretty—the prettiest he had ever seen—than he could ever had._

 

_And he was the object of its attention. Why?_

 

_“Uhm” he says awkwardly, scratching his right cheek just under the mole near his eye. “Hi?” the word comes out as a question, too unsure of what to do. He was an only child, after all and the only friends he had were his classmates and they were of the same age or even older._

 

_The other blinks at him before his attention shifts to his plate, biting his bottom lip. The former scratches his cheek again before realization dawns on him, “Do you want this?” He asks, pointing at the strawberry that was on his plate. The younger doesn’t respond but continues to look at the strawberry and frowns when the latter moves the plate away, settling it on the table._

 

_“Here,” The younger gets startled when the former pushes a strawberry on his hand. “It’s all yours.”_

 

_He doesn’t stop the smile forming on his face when the younger takes it, biting on it before giggling. He finally had someone to play with!_

 

_“I’m Euigeon” he says, startling the younger. “Kang Euigeon”_

 

_The younger looks at his hand before he looks at him in the eye, taking it. “Park Jihoon.”_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Kang Euigeon!” Jihoon screams at the top of his lungs, his hand itching to let the box on his hold go and march to where the source of all his stress is, potentially socking him in the eye and killing him. “You better hurry it up!” He would have dropped some colorful expletives but he knew their parents were waiting for them right outside of the house and he thinks it’s better for them not to hear _things_ at 8am in the morning.

 

Especially when they’d be leaving their houses for college.

 

“I’m going down!” The other calls out, “And it’s Daniel now! It always has been!” Jihoon sighs one more time, his eye twitching and his head starting to ache. “I don’t hear stomping! You better hurry it up or I swear to God I will leave y—“

 

“I’m here” He grins at him from the top of the stairs but Jihoon just scowls, “Seriously, we’re not going to be late, relax!” Daniel scuffles down when Jihoon turns his back on him, proceeding to walk out. “I still have an audition, you know.” Jihoon rolls his eyes, turning the knob open.

 

“And you’re going to ace it.” Daniel catches up to him and gives him a nudge.

 

“And if I don’t?” Jihoon furrows his brows, the stress of leaving early already dissipating as Daniel playfully nudges him. Daniel was annoying but he was also his friend for a decade now. He supposes that’s also a factor why he’s lenient when it comes to the latter, “Then you can come to my room, cry in my arms, and I’ll even buy that tub of mint ice cream you want.” And also because he’d buy jihoon food.

 

Jihoon looks at him in the eye and Daniel wiggles his brows at him. “Last time I checked, you were the one who cried. But, sure, I'll take you up on that offer. Promise?"

 

Daniel rolls his eyes this time, ignoring his remarks, “When have I ever not kept my promise?”

 

Jihoon doesn’t answer but shrugs, “Well, you did promise that you’d be done by 7:30am…” His voice trails and he could see the deadpan look Daniel was giving him. “That’s different! You _forced_ me to promise you!”

 

“Whatever you say, Kang Euigeon”

 

“It’s Daniel!” Daniel pouts, “You couldn’t even pronounce it before.” and Jihoon snickers before he shifts his attention to their parents who were waiting near the moving truck.

 

 

  

 

 

_“Mom,” Euigeon begins, his brows furrowed as he looks down at his hand, a small pout already forming on his lips. His mother hums in response as she settles on the chair adjacent to him. “I want to change my name.”_

 

_“hm?” she asks, absentmindedly,  as she puts side dishes on his plate and moving the platter of shrimp and crabs away from him. He was allergic to it and well, they wouldn’t really want anything happening on a Sunday morning._

 

_“I want to change my name.” Euigeon says, a little more determined as he remembers the way Jihoon had called him the other day._

 

 

 

_They were playing tag in school along with a couple of classmates when Jihoon had called him ‘Eugeun’ instead of his name, stopping him in his tracks. “It’s euigeon” he tells jihoon, the latter scrunches his face up, confused. “What?” he asks, scratching his head. “It’s Euigeon, not Eugeon.” He emphasizes each syllable and Jihoon blinks at him, “I’ve been calling you that since we met though” Jihoon tilts his head and suddenly he remembers the times when he’d thought Jihoon was just acting cute when he’d say his name._

 

_“But it’s Euigeon.” He pouts, furrowing his brows a little more at the frustration._

 

_“Eigeon?” Jihoon asks, “Eui.. Ei… Eigoon..” He scrunches his nose in distaste as well, having to watch Euigeon pout at each attempt._

 

 

 

 _“And why would you want that?” his mother’s voice startles him out of his stupor, “You have a beautiful name and_ I _gave it to you.”_

 

_Euigeon nods at each word. “But dad can’t even pronounce it right.” He whips his head to his father who was silently watching the engagement since earlier and cringed when his wife had raised his brows at him. If there was something that attracted him to his wife other than how beautiful she was, it was the power she had over him with the look of her eyes. “Much less Jihoon.”_

 

_“Hey,” his dad had coughed out, ruffling his hair and chuckling, “Of course, I know you’re name. It’s Eugeon, right?” He scrunches his eyes the way Daniel scrunches his, whose lips were in a tight grin._

 

_Euigeon looks at his mother again. “See?”_

 

_His mother looks at his dad, staring at him for a good 3 seconds making the latter squirm in his seat. “Fine.”_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Setting the box that they’ve been holding, they both get ready for the influx of emotion that will be thrown their way—their mother’s eyes already brimming with tears and their fathers shaking their head in the background. It was their first time away from home for more than a couple of days—Daniel _did_ always drag Jihoon with him whenever the latter would go out with his friends, having Jihoon already familiar with the bunch.

 

It wasn’t like Jihoon wanted to leave home, but he was offered—because Daniel insisted he send in his application—a full scholarship and a choice of his course, free of payment and he definitely did not want to let that opportunity go down the drain when his parents could be burden free from college.

 

Jihoon supposes his parents could use a break and he took this as an opportunity to give them back something. It wasn’t that they didn’t have cash—his father _did_ work as Mr. Kang’s secretary for as long as he’d known Daniel, or maybe even more, but college was expensive and he didn’t think he’d be comfortable with the fact that his father’s busting his ass to make him study—and Daniel wasn’t planning on letting him leave college—so he applied for a scholarship in seoul and was thankfully accepted.

 

Daniel, on the other hand, is transferring from the local college to where he’ll be studying because ‘ _do you think I’d let you leave me here in busan? Of course, I’m coming with you_ ’ he’d said. He was thankful, really, moving to a different city and starting out college terrified him and Daniel coming along was a big relief. Of course, he smacked him right in the head when he found out because how dare that kid waste money?

 

Later though, he found out Daniel actually applied for half-scholarship for dancing. Thankfully, his grades weren’t as bad and his dancing was spectacular.

 

“Oh honey,” Jihoon’s mother walks to him, her heart on her sleeve and her eyes already red from crying yesterday night when she entered Jihoon’s room to hug him. “I can’t believe I won’t be seeing you anymore.” Her mom sniffles and Jihoon rolls his eyes playfully at her. “Mom” he starts, wiping the lone tear on her cheek, “You’ll be going to seoul next month, what are you saying?”

 

His mom pouts at him, “But I won’t be seeing you _everyday_.”

 

Jihoon laughs a little and turns to his dad who was also shaking his head. His eyes had webs scattered near them but he could see the fondness in them when he looks at his mother and it all but took him to not shed a tear because quite frankly, if he does, he just knows that his mother wouldn’t let him leave for another day and Daniel would definitely panic, now knowing how to react and what to do.

 

He really wouldn't want to have to deal with him at 8:11 in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seated on the train after a very emotional goodbye from their parents—He had to beg them to let them go because they were definitely going to be late—jihoon bites on his lips in both anticipation and nervousness. What if he forgets his line? What if he doesn’t pass?! What would he tell his parents?!

 

His thoughts are halted when he feels a hand envelope his. He releases the breath that he had been holding and tightens his hold, “You’re going to do great, okay?” Daniel tells him, poking his cheeks. “What if I get too nervous and forget my lines?” he asks, almost inaudible.

 

“Just look at me.” Daniel squeezes his hand, “You know I’m always right where you are.”

 

Jihoon sighs before nodding. He’d practice his lines a thousand times in front of Daniel and the latter would always get emotional, enveloping him in a tight hug every after practice and telling him how much he did great. Jihoon had to punch him one time because it was getting too much and Daniel had watched him do it for a couple times. Why the was he still crying?

 

Then again, Daniel was pretty biased when it comes to his friends.


	2. Mint ice cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jihoon auditions for the school's theatre and arts program.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: the audition have mentions of suicide and alike. If you are not comfortable with this, you may skip to the ice cream part. (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ

Clutching his folders, Jihoon bites his lips as he watches dozens of people auditioning one by one, each better than the other. They had arrived a little over an hour ago and instead of settling in their dorm, they immediately went to the theater hall for Jihoon’s audition, amazed at the expanse of the hall and how elaborate the school was. The school had intricate patterns on some of its walls, most of the open ground covered in grass and heaps of students, dallying in or studying but jihoon couldn’t really bring himself to enjoy the scenery when he’s almost close to his death.

 

Or humiliation.

 

“Hey,” Daniel squeezes his hand, “I’ll be looking at you from the back, okay?” Jihoon releases a nervous breath. He was up next. “You’re going to do great.” Jihoon nods at him, sending him a small smile, knowing Daniel was just as nervous as he was. The latter’s hands were cold and a little too shaky for him to be not to. Daniel squeezes his hand once more before walking out of the backstage.

 

He hears his name being called and he lets a sigh go.

 

This was do or die.

 

 

 

 

 

  

Daniel settles himself just a few chairs away from the judges, near enough to let jihoon know where he was. He bites his lips in nervousness, trying to calm his shaking hands as he rubs them together. Daniel knew Jihoon was going to do great, he was always good in everything he does, be it studying, sports, or even boxing—which he had to admit he was jealous of—and to top it all off, he didn’t boast when it comes to his forte.

 

In fact, he wasn’t even confident about most things.

 

Too shy to approach strangers, too unconfident to do things.

 

Too giving.

 

Too sassy, though.

 

“Park Jihoon.” One of the judges calls, she was younger than what Daniel had imagined, her hair just going past her petite shoulders, and her clothes, too big for her little frame. Contrary to her appearance, however, her voice was scratchy. Like she’d been reciting lines her entire life.

 

He sees Jihoon walk towards the middle of the stage, his hands balled into a fist as he looks at the judges, clearly nervous. Daniel was as nervous as he was, his hands shaking as he tries to calm his feet from tapping on the floor, hearing his own heartbeat ringing in his ear and hoping that the judge wouldn't mind him shifting from one position to another.

 

“You’ve applied for a scholarship?” She asks him, looking through his files once more. Jihoon was confident with his files, his grades mostly above average and his extra curricular activities excellent. What he was nervous was his experience in theatre. Sure, he'd starred in musicals during sports festivals a lot of times, but most of his characters were close to nothing that he had doubts putting it on the papers. He did, though. Daniel had also reminded him of that godforsaken play he once was a lead.

 

He was a prince.

 

He got a little too into it that there was a time in his life he didn't want to wear anything that doesn't resemble the whole prince charade that he had a thing for. He wanted to burn every picture during that year but his mother wouldn't let him.

 

Jihoon nods and answers in the loudest voice he could muster only for it to come out shaky. He cringes. “Yes, Ma’am.” She gives him a nod, her lips in a thin lines as she turns the page. “Your grades are excellent but we have strict rules in this department. If you do not pass this, I’m afraid you’ll have to try other courses" She casts her eyes at him, looking at him pointedly "but I’m sure someone already explained that to you?” she asks, jihoon nods. Jihoon had talked to someone over the phone, orienting him what step he needed to do and how the audition goes.

 

“The piece you’ve chosen is quite hard, huh.” she raises her neatly drawn brows at him. The students auditioning can freely choose the piece they would be performing for their audition through the school’s website and Jihoon just had to be entranced by the character’s grief that he couldn’t will himself to pick easy ones.

 

He just had to pick the dramatic one out of all the 20 pieces. “Well” She starts, “Best of luck. You may start anytime.”

 

He wishes he could turn back time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel releases a staggering breath. Fuck, he was sweating. Fanning himself with his hands, he sees Jihoon’s eyes looking for something, looking for _someone_ in the crowd and he unconsciously raises his hand, gaining his attention. Daniel gives him a thumbs-up before nodding and Jihoon smiles, the students turning their heads back to look at who the latter was smiling to.

 

Daniel bites his lips as he watches Jihoon turn his back at them. It takes 5 long seconds before he turns his back, his eyes different from the nervous wreck that he was earlier.

 

And right then and there, Daniel knew he was going to get this. He bites his lip hard, confident yet nervous as he watches it start.

 

  

 

 

Jihoon releases a breath, counting in his head to 5.

 

He can do this.

 

 

 

 

Daniel had seen this scene a hundred times in his room or Jihoon’s but it never ceases to amaze him how Jihoon could bring forth such powerful emotion, how his heart ached every after practice.

 

However, this was different.

 

This time, Jihoon was in his element. Jihoon was up on stage where he belonged.

 

Daniel knows how the story goes, heck, he’s pretty much memorized it by now. It was about a boy looking for acceptance. A boy looking for his purpose in life when society has shunned him, a boy finding out his parents did not care about his almost suicide attempt. The scene specifically targets the part where the boy had lost all hope. Lost all will to live.

 

A boy apologizing to someone, _anyone_ , for being born.

 

He knows it through and through and that’s why it’s all the more powerful when jihoon staggers on his feet as he holds his right wrist by the hand. He had just came back from the hospital.

 

“I…” Daniel silently gasps at Jihoon’s first words, his lips quivering.  “I’m… sorry.” He says, with uneven breath. He tries to walk but it doesn’t go as planned when he lands himself on the ground, his feet giving away, hunching over one foot. He looked small, and Daniel stops himself from marching up to the stage and hug him, no one should be able to to feel this kind of rejection.

  

“I’m sorry,” Jihoon’s voice was scratchy and hoarse but there were no tears spilled, no emotions on his face. Yet his eyes… his eyes looked like it was losing its color, losing its hope. “I.. really…” And Daniel sees the first lone tear rolling down his flushed cheeks.

 

Jihoon bites his lips, hard, a sob trying to force its way out but he doesn’t let it. He looks down on the wrist he’d been holding before he releases it, his hand shaking. Looking down on his palm, not caring to wipe the tears now streaming down his face. The character's emotion and feelings flooding him, why couldn't they love him? Why couldn't they accept him? Was there something wrong with him? Why? Why? Why? Why? “Why…” He asks himself, as he starts to pick at the bandage. “Why… am I alive…” he whispers, his body trembling at each words as he starts scratching at his bandage, trying to remove it forcefully but to no avail.

 

Daniel hears him murmur before he lifts his head slightly, his eyes searching for something.  “I should have just..” He stutters out, a little desperate. “I… I shouldn’t be here… I shouldn’t… I should have just died.” His voice was hoarse, like he’d been crying his entire life. The tears he so desperately tried to stop, now covering his entire cheeks.

 

“I should have just died!” He yells, looking up the ceiling. “Why did you… Why are you doing this to me?!” He accuses, balling up the clothing above his left chest with his bruised arm “I should have just fucking died!” He yells before he releases a guttural scream, his whole body shaking in tremors as he tries desperately to breathe. Daniel flinches at the sound, this was the first time he heard Jihoon releas such a pained voice and gets startled when a tear falls on his hands, touching his cheeks, he feels its wet surface.

 

Jihoon or not, the emotions and the rejections the character must have felt was something he never wished for anyone to feel. Nobody should feel that way, nobody should be rejected that way to the point that it drains the life out of them. His mind wanders back to the news and the articles he'd read and it tugs at his heart--why were people so cruel?

 

He takes his attention back to the scene, already sitting at the edge of the seat as Jihoon continues to cry, choking on his breathing, his eyes burning along with his heart. He was silently screaming at the pain as he looks at the ceiling, his sob turning into a muffled cry as he opens his mouth again. He was just acting but the pain on his chest was too real, _too_ painful.  “Please...” he begs, his voice shaking.

 

“Please… let me..” He whispers one last time. 

 

Daniel looks at the scene—looks at jihoon—and forces himself to look at the judges. He isn’t too surprise when he sees the shock and amazement in their eyes. However, he didn’t expect the woman who had called Jihoon earlier to have tears streaming down her cheeks, clutching at her chest.

 

He looks at each person in the room, the students who have stayed after their audition, the students who have yet to audition.

 

Everyone.

 

Everyone was stunned.

 

He sees Jihoon standing up, wiping his face in the process and biting his lips, his eyes back to its usual, nervous and insecure self, like he did not just move everybody with his performance. He bows at the judges before clasping his hands together, nervous and waiting for their approval.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You know,” Daniel starts, taking a spoonful of mint ice cream in his mouth, “I never want to see you like that again.” He looks at his cup of ice cream before he looks at jihoon who was raising a brow at him. “Like what?” the other asks.

 

Daniel hums before answering, his brows furrows as he tries to verbalise what he wanted to say.  “Crying, I mean.” He still feels the raw emotion from earlier. “If you have any problems, tell me. Okay? I'd never judge you and i'd accept you for whatever. Also, because I wouldn't want your mom to come after me because i'm a bad friend.” He scowls at the quizzical expression Jihoon had.

 

“What drug are you on?” He snorts. Daniel frowns, “I’m serious.” Jihoon rolls his eyes at him, stealing a spoonful of ice cream from his cup and humming as he places it in his mouth. “Hey, tha—“

 

“I know you are” Jihoon cuts him off, “Pretty sure you cried more than me.”

 

 

 

_5 seconds._

 

_Jihoon had stood there looking at the ground, his audition finished, for 5 seconds._

 

_In silence._

 

_Fuck, did he fuck it up?! He’s pretty sure he remembered everything?! He added a scream earlier because he was so in the moment and everything kind of hurt but... Shit. Was he going to fail?!_

 

_He gets startled when a student started clapping at his side and then followed by another and then another, until he hears it resonating in the room. When he lifts his head up, his eyes widen when he sees the 3 judges standing up and applauding him. He bows at them fervently, trying to comprehend what was happening._

 

_“Park Jihoon. It has been awhile since we've last seen someone as exceptional as you.” One of them had said, “It would be an honor to have you as our student.”_

 

_He doesn’t see Daniel running up the stage and gets startled when he’s pulled to the side, to astounded with the results. (he’s pretty sure he said Thank you… did he?) “Daniel?” he asks, scrunching his brows when reality hits him, feeling the latter’s whole body shaking. “Daniel, what’s wrong?” his thoughts were still in a mess but for now, he opts for comforting the older._

 

_“hey,” He removes himself from his tight hold and lifts his hands to touch his wet cheeks, “What happened? Are you crying?” Goodness, he leaves him for 5 minutes and someone’s already done something to him?!_

 

_“I…” he starts, his voice a little shaky, “Please don’t…”_

 

_“Huh?” He crunches his brows._

 

_“Please don’t die.” Daniel envelops him in a tight hug again._

 

_“what the fuck?”_

 

  

 

“Hey!” Daniel scowls at him, “I’m a very emotional person, okay.” He didn’t even hear the judge say if he passed or not, his body just went and ran to him.

 

“Sure, you are.” Jihoon laughs. He still couldn't believe he’d passed the audition and was now officially a theatre major in Korea national university of arts because first, the school was pretty known to be strict when it comes to their theater auditions—famous people _did_ graduate from here. Second, he wasn’t even sure if he did great. He literally had repetitive lines and was crying the whole time--he cringes at the feeling, his chest tightening. He doesn't think he'd act out another character as intense as that for maybe months, he had to control his emotions back then.

 

“Do you think our stuff’ is in the dorm now?” Jihoon asks, placing his now empty cup down. When they had gone back earlier after the audition, their things still weren’t there. (They took a cab first so they wouldn’t be late)

 

“Probably.” Daniel shrugs, scrunching his nose. “My room’s 2 floors up from yours and the elevator’s broken so imagine that.” Fortunately, they were in the same dorm house, Jihoon being on the second floor and Daniel on the fourth. “you’re complaining like you’re not going to make me help you.” Jihoon throws a tissue at his face. “now, come on. I want to be settled in before dinner.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Daniel, god damn it!” Jihoon curses, “Stop lying on the bed! You’re sweaty!” He furrows his brows at the person comfortably lying on his newly changed, white sheet. They were almost finished arranging jihoon’s things when the child decided he needed a break. “I’m not sweaty.” Daniel rolled over, “I wiped myself before I laid down.”

 

“You did,” Jihoon rolls his eyes, “With your sweaty shirt! And put some damn clothes on!” He sighs yet again before turning back to his closet, arranging his things. There was no use arguing with him, he’d known the child for a little over 10 years now and he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t budge.

 

He eyes the other side of the room where most of his unknown roommate’s things are arranged.

 

He looked like a neat person. Thankfully.

 

“But it’s hot” Daniel whined.

 

He doesn’t give him any attention.

 

“What if my roommate doesn’t want you here for the night?” He asks, Daniel decided he’d stay the night in Jihoon’s room, too tired to even think about getting his things up his room so he asked the landlady if he could just leave it in the lobby for tomorrow.

 

Of course, she had let him. He _did_ smile at her.

 

“Well, fuck.” Daniel snickers. “Guess, we’ll be sleeping out until tomorrow because I’m definitely not going to fix my things now”

 

“ _we’ll_ be sleeping out?” Jihoon raises his brows at him.

 

“uh, _yeah_ ” Daniel snorts. “Do you think I’d let myself be kicked out alone?”

 

“You’re such a pain in the—“

 

Jihoon stops when he hears the doors being opened and a tan, red haired male comes in looking at Daniel with wide eyes before it lands themselves at Jihoon, his eyes widening even more than it could. “Uh..” He blinks and starts, “…should I have knocked?

 

Jihoon blinks, he looks at Daniel who was looking at him, then at tanned male, his eyes following the other's gaze. “Oh, no! We’re not—!”

 

“I mean, I’m not one to judge so…” The other trails.

 

“No, wait! We’re not like that!” He covers his face and flushes. Of course, his roommate would think they’d done something bad and dirty. Daniel was just as shirtless as he was and their clothes were scattered all over the place.

 

“Baby,” Daniel starts, jihoon wants to wipe the shit eating grin on his face, “I’m hurt.”

 

“Uh…” the other starts, a scandalized expression on his face as he looks at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an ongoing ONGWINK fic: Drop the Act ---- so if u like some of that, please check it out ehe (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
> 
> twt: Eotteokeos


	3. Congratulations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, sorry for not updating!!!! Tbh, i lost all motivation to write this?? I usually find the first 2-3 chapters of stories hard to write because it's the usual getting to know phase and like can the story just go to the part where everyone is either crying or laughing,,,,
> 
> Anyway, Happy new year! (Although it's quite late but better late than never, right)

“So,” His roommate—Woojin—begins, “I can call you ‘hyung’ right?” Jihoon had to sit him through earlier and explain how and why they weren’t in a relationship and it was ten times harder when Daniel just couldn’t shut up and keep his hands to himself, teasing and making his roommate flustered and embarrassed.

 

He had to result to smacking Daniel by the head with his pillow before giving him the stink eye for him to calm down. Safe to say, it shut him up for 5 minutes, which was all Jihoon needed to explain because the latter looked like he was ready to bail and tell the principal on them.

 

“Sure,” Daniel answers before taking the broccoli on Jihoon’s plate, the latter not paying him any mind. They were now eating dinner, by Daniel’s insistence and treat, just a block away from school (Woojin wasn’t about to refuse free, good food. Also, at least he’d made a friend, he guesses).

 

Woojin nods, relieved that he at least knows someone in a school six times bigger than his old one. “Since we’re the same age, might as well…” He trails when he looked at Jihoon, his seoul accent already forgotten. He had accidentally let it slipped when he heard Daniel talk in Busan accent earlier and since then they haven’t talked in Seoul accent. Not that they had to but they really did just wanted to try it for the sake of it, really.

 

It’s just unfair that Jihoon seemed to have the hang of it, the accent flowing out his mouth smooth and fluidly.

 

Jihoon shrugs, “Sure, which school did you come from again?” He asks, he thought he knew everyone in Busan since there are quite an abundant of student who greeted them earlier, apparently their schoolmates were just as surprised as they were to see them. (Some of which they don’t even know the name of). Also adding the fact that most of the students were pretty much expected to enter kyungnam high school since it was one of the most known school in the district.

 

“Jeonseok preparatory school, ever heard of it?” he asks, they both shake their heads. “It’s actually just a neighborhood school, pretty unknown actually.” Daniel nods, “So that’s why—can I have this?—I haven’t seen you before.” He takes the chicken on Jihoon’s plates and plops it on his mouth.

 

Jihoon nudges Daniel by the ribs, glaring at the latter. “I’m sorry, you have to put up with this shit over here.” He tells Woojin as he tilts his head to Daniel’s direction, the latter protesting in response. “Well,” The younger starts, “I’m not one to refuse free food.”

 

“I feel like this would be the start of a beautiful friendship.” Jihoon offers him a handshake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Are you guys going to fit there?” Woojin furrows his brow as he looks at Daniel lying down on his roommates’ bed, his whole body almost taking up all the space. And with all those pillows, Woojin wonders how they plan on sleeping.

 

“I don’t think you need that many pillows.” Woojin scratches at his temples. He’d been meaning to ask earlier—when he’d almost panicked thinking they had sex in their room—if the landlord had left one too many pillows in their room but Jihoon had beat him to it and explained that he liked the comfort of having too many. Woojin’s just hoping he’d changed the pillowcase because the neon green pillow on the corner of the bed had been making his head ache for a while now.

 

“Hey,” Jihoon shouts at him from the bathroom, defensive “I _do_ need it. It just looks a lot because the kid over there is taking up all the available space.” Going out of the bathroom, he wipes his mouth with his towel and raises his brows at the clothes that were arranged on the end of his bed. “I didn’t notice you brought shirts with you.”

 

After they had eaten, they decided to call it a night, jihoon suppressing a yawn every now and then. He was too used to sleeping at 10pm that when it reaches 9, his body betrays him. Besides, he was up by 5am, sorting his things and rechecking if there were still some that were left unpacked.

 

Daniel raises his head to look at him, “Yeah, I already decided to sleep here on the first day 2 months ago. Didn’t I tell you?”

 

“You didn’t.” Jihoon throws him a towel, “Take a bath.” Daniel catches it, placing his phone down on the bed and heading to the bathroom, taking one of Jihoon’s stash of toothbrush that the older doesn’t bother asking why he had plenty of.

 

Jihoon walks to his bed and sits on the edge, drying his hair, “Sorry about him crashing in on the first day.” He apologizes, although he was pretty comfortable with him and probably Woojin with them too—he was in nothing but his boxers—he still felt the need to apologize, feeling that maybe he was bothering him. _Daniel_ was bothering him, rather.

 

Woojin looks up from his phone, “It’s nothing big.” He shrugs.

 

“Well,” Jihoon starts again, “I’d like to apologize for one thing though. That guy probably had my keys duplicated and will be sneaking in from time to time.” He cringes, remembering the fact that Daniel had opened the door when they arrived from dinner. The latter didn’t ask for any of their keys.

 

Woojin gives him another shrug. “As long as you don’t do it while I’m here, I’m good.” Jihoon throws a pillow at him, “this one’s already mine” Woojin places the pillow on the other side of his bed, away from Jihoon. Thankfully, it was gray. “I told you, we’re not like that.” Jihoon scowls.

 

“I told you, I have nothing against same sex relationship.” Woojin mocks him, a slight, amused smirk on his lips as he looks at Jihoon who was ready to throw a book at him. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding” The younger grins, jihoon sighs in return, shaking his head.

 

“You’re so annoying.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon had been looking at the ceiling far too long to know that he would get a headache tomorrow, his heart thumping as he relieves everyone’s reaction from earlier, a small grin on his face. He hadn’t expected a large reaction from the on-lookers, maybe a clap from Daniel, yes, but to have the judge praise him was something he’d only dreamt of.

 

He had always loved the stage, they both loved it—Daniel and him. They love the feeling of performing, the feeling of people looking at them with wide, astonished eyes. He used to dance with the latter, their free times spent doing choreographies and winning dance competitions left and right but Jihoon had a special place in his heart for theater.

 

He’d seen a musical once when he was a child, a day he hadn’t spent with Daniel—which was shocking in itself—and his parents and him had watched a children’s musical, Finding Neverland. He remembers seeing the younger male lead and wanting to be like him, wanting to carry out such powerful emotion in his performance, wanting to make the audience _feel_ the remorse or happiness of the character.

 

He went home awestruck and lost for words, his mother asking him if he was alright. He hadn’t stopped thinking about it ever since until Daniel had edged him to perform in one of their plays in school. And he did. And he fell in love with everything to do with theatre. At least he could dance and act in musicals, and to top it off, he’d also realized that he had a knack for singing.

 

“Can’t sleep?” he hears someone asking from his side, the voice hoarse and laced with sleep. He looks to his side and finds Daniel peeking from the blanket he’d stolen from Jihoon’s, feeling a hand entwine itself on his waist, pulling him closer. “Warm” Without answering, he shakes his head in response and turns back to look at the ceiling. He gets startled, however, when Daniel opens his mouth. He’d thought that the latter went back to sleep. “Congratulations on getting in.”

 

A smile makes its way up his mouth, his eyes crinkling before he turns to look at Daniel who was already lightly snoring. “Congratulations to you too.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Fuck.” Jihoon curses, throwing the last piece of baggage on the floor and slumping down as he wipes the sweat on his forehead. “What the hell did you bring? Rocks?” He scrunches his brows up at Daniel who had entered the room with another luggage, the latter doing exactly what Jihoon had done. They can only hope nothing fragile was inside the bag, else it’d be broken by now.

 

“I don’t even know.” Daniel shakes his head, panting. “Why don’t they have a damn elevator in this dorm?” Jihoon rolls his eyes at him, “ _Because_ , Daniel, this is a dormitory.” He slowly tells him, as if he was talking with a child and earns himself a nice jab on the ribs.

 

“Ow” Jihoon playfully grins at before he looks around the room and takes in the contrasting colors they had. Jihoon’s room had hints of yellow and blue, their curtains almost blinding them and their side tables making him cringe every time he looks at it. Daniel’s room had accents of black and red. “Seems like your roommate hasn’t arrived.” His eyes scans the unmade bed and the empty closet adjacent to where Daniel’s was.

 

“I wouldn’t blame him” Daniel shrugs, “We still have a week before class starts” He gives Jihoon a pointed look and raises an eyebrow, “Hey,” Jihoon defended, “It’s not my fault the theater department held the auditions a week prior to class. I told you I could go ahead.” He rolls his eyes at the latter which earns him a laugh. “And risk you losing yourself in the campus?” Daniel asks.

 

Jihoon deadpans at him. “I’m not taking that shit from the guy who got lost walking to school.” Daniel snickers at the memory. Jihoon was sick one morning in high school, his eyes swollen, cheeks flushed and his always pink lips, pale. It had taken him a lot of convincing from Jihoon to go to school instead of skipping class because he’d take care of him. Jihoon threw a pillow at his face and told him to leave. Daniel had walked to school alone that day and he didn’t arrive until noon when his parents had picked him up 3 kilometers away from school.

 

“Can’t we fix my things tomorrow instead?” Daniel whines as Jihoon starts to push himself up from slouching on the floor, already tired at the idea. Jihoon furrows his brows at him, “And you’d sleep in my bed again?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Get up.”

 

He’d almost died of asphyxiation when Daniel had rolled over him in his sleep, if he hadn't kicked him by the shin he would have been dead by now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So,” Daniel begins, looking at his side of the room from the door, Jihoon on his side. “I think we did a good job.” He nods to himself, a smug expression on his face when he sees Jihoon nodding along. It had taken them approximately 2 hours to arrange everything, Jihoon had nagged Daniel enough to get him moving. His dark blue sheets and gray pillowcases earning Jihoon’s approval. Jihoon was the one who told him to pack dark sheets. (Jihoon knew Daniel would probably wipe everything on his sheets and he can’t risk a stain on them)

 

“I can’t believe you brought three plushies.” Jihoon gestures at the three colorful things on the corner of the bed. “two of which are mine.”

 

The older shrugs at him, “You can’t take them, I brought them here.”

 

“I wasn’t planning to.” Jihoon scowls. Okay, maybe he did plan to sneak it out when Daniel wasn’t looking. It was rightfully his. Although Daniel _did_ buy it for him (or force him to buy it. Either way, it was his.)

 

He feels a nudge on his side and when he turns to the latter, he sees keys dangling near his face. Looking at it, he moves his attention to Daniel, raising a brow. “And that is?”

 

“The copy of my room keys.” Daniel shrugs, “It doesn’t seem fair that I have yours and you don’t have mine.”

 

“Daniel,” Jihoon rolls his eyes, taking it and placing it in his pocket, “Need I remind you that _you_ duplicated my keys? I didn’t give them to you.”

 

“Duplicated, gave, same thing.”

 

Jihoon’s feels a headache coming.

 

Turning back, he tilts his head towards the door, “Come on, let’s go and get Woojin. He’s probably already back.” Woojin had left earlier than them this morning, waking up to only a text from the younger, apologizing that he couldn’t help and that he had to pick someone up from the airport. “I feel so betrayed that he went and left us to do this.” Daniel clutches on his chest dramatically.

 

Jihoon places his hand on his chest, doing the same thing. “Feels like he did it on purpose.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The week had pretty much gone uneventful, their days mostly spent in the dorms and going to the nearby mall, books untouched and possibly missing. Daniel’s roommate still hasn’t moved in and he’d wondered if he even had one, almost sleeping the entire week at Jihoon’s shared room.

 

It was finally the night before classes when Daniel was all set and ready to play games on his phone—Jihoon had kicked him out—when he’d heard the keys clinking and the doors opening. He looks at the person at the door, his eyes wide as he momentarily forgets that he had a roommate.

 

“Uh,” He stutters out, “Hi?” He cringes at himself as he tries to remove the duvet off of his body, earning a snort from the latter. “You don’t have to get up.” The other tells him, “if I read it right, I think this is room 304?” Daniel nods. He wasn’t socially inept but he wasn’t the friendliest person either. At least, not when he was in nothing but his pink boxers. “Well, I guess you’re my roommate?”

 

“Yup, I’m Daniel, by the way.” He throws in casually, smiling it at him from the bed “Kang Daniel. Also, I’d love to help you unpack but my character is dying and I can’t afford to lose.” He turns his head back and groans when he loses points yet again. The other laughs at him, dragging his body towards the bed “Cool name,” he starts, a grin on his face as he throws himself on the bed. “Seongwoo. Ong Seongwoo. And I’d love to unpack but I can’t be bothered by that.”

 

Daniel snorts in response, “This is the start of a beautiful friendship.” Jihoon would probably kill them.

 

“Thank god.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon scrunches his face up in annoyance as his gaze settles on the uniform that was in his closet. “That fucking dumbass.” He mutters, “What?” Woojin asks him from his bed, not bothering to lift his face up to look at him. “I said, I’ll be right back.” He takes the uniform by hand and walks out of the room, dragging his feet up the stairs, already too familiar with the halls.

 

He knocks on the first door to the left, grumbling to himself. When the door opens he clicks his tongue, “You fucking idi—“ He halts in his words, his eyes settling themselves on wide startled ones, a face he isn’t familiar greeting him. His face was sculpted to perfection, his hair was down and his jaws prominent. Swallowing the imaginary lump forming in his throat, he moves his attention the room number, hoping he wasn’t wrong. “Uh…” he starts, awkwardly shuffling his feet. He was never good at first meetings.

 

“And how may I help a cutie like you?” The other asks him, amusement in his voice as he leans on the frame of the door, his hands folded as he raises an eyebrow at Jihoon. Jihoon blinks at the latter before realization hits him, “Excuse me?” He asks, he was never good at introductions. “Is Daniel—“

 

“Jihoon?” he hears someone ask from inside the room.

 

He flinches at the familiar sound, relieved that he could hear Daniel’s steps from behind. Coughing, he ignores the person in front of him who still had a smirk on his lips and looks at Daniel who was raising an eyebrow at him, “You left your uniform, dumbass.” Daniel grins at him before noticing Jihoon glancing at the person next to his, a scowl forming on his face.

 

“Not him, you ass.” Daniel shoves Seongwoo by the waist who raises his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t do anything.” Daniel turns his eyes into slits, not believing him. When Seongwoo had taken a bath, leaving his phone on the bed, the dozens of rings from the phone had bothered Daniel enough to ask him who in hell was calling him 8 times in a row now, the latter laughing at his scandalized expression when he’d told him it was some of the girls—and guys, he adds with a wink—he’d met at a bar. “You better not have sex when I’m here.” Daniel cringed at the image. Seongwoo rolls his eyes at him, “Of course I wouldn’t” He shrugs, “I’d just do it if you aren’t here.”

 

Safe to say, Daniel had been wary, “Not going to introduce us?” Seongwoo tilts his head to Jihoon, raking him from his oversized yellow sweater and pink sweatpants. Adorable, he thought.

 

Daniel sighs, relenting. “Jihoon,” He gestures towards the shorter male, “Seongwoo,” and then back at the latter. “My roommate.” Jihoon smiles at the latter before holding his hand out, if Daniel was already comfortable with him maybe he wasn’t _that_ bad. “Park Jihoon. Daniel’s childhood friend.”

 

Seongwoo takes his hand and smiles, “Ong Seongwoo.”

 

He doesn’t do adorable.


	4. Passion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to divide this and then post the other tomorrow but decided against it, i was too excited to post it??? idk what god gave me motivation to write but thank you lol
> 
> Enjoy.

_Jihoon opens his eyes to hands shaking his shoulder, the slow steady rhythm annoying him more than it should. He was pretty sure it was still dark outside, in fact, he pretty sure he just slept a couple of minutes ago, too busy playing with the person who was currently disturbing him. Why he had the energy to disrupt his sleep was beyond him, really. “Daniel” he groans, “Stop it, I’m sleeping” he murmurs, closing his eyes back and trying to swat the hand away. “But, it’s_ Christmas _” Daniel insists, “We_ have _to open our presents.”_

_“We can open it tomorrow.” And although Jihoon_ was _excited, he woke up way too early that morning, wrapping Daniel’s presents in hast, hiding it under the three along with the other presents so the other doesn't find it too easily, now he regrets it, he should have given it earlier. “Jihoon,” Daniel whines, “I wanna give it you_ now. _” He emphasizes the last word by lightly squeezing his arm._

_Jihoon stays quiet before releasing a heavy sigh, he knew it was a losing battle. Throwing his comforter away, he opens one eye and another, craning his neck to look at Daniel, his lips jutted out. “Why do I endure you?” He croaks out, ruffling his hair and propping himself up with his elbow._

_Daniel grins at him, raising his hand to fix Jihoon’s mess of a hair. “Uh, because I’m kang Daniel?”_

_Jihoon scowls, “Shut up,_ eigeon”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking up to the cafeteria, Daniel plops down on one of the available tables, looking at his watch as he waits for Jihoon and taking out his phone to write a message before opening a gaming app. Classes started earlier this week, breezing through the introductions and orientations the teachers had planned as he spends time getting ready for his performance, practicing during breaks and sometimes even loosing sleep—he doesn't tell Jihoon though. The latter nags at him whenever he does, citing the incident of him feinting in class in elementary school due to exhaustion.

 

He purses his lips in, his brows furrowed as he taps continuously on his phone, oblivious of the stares the others were giving him. “Someone’s popular” Someone slides next to him, getting startled at the sudden contact, he flinches and mutters a cuss, “Ah, fuck” scowling, he turns towards his roommate. “You made me die.” Seongwoo waves a dismissing hand, opening the wrapper of his bread.

 

“That's not the issue here" He sighs, "I wonder why you’re popular.” Seongwoo shakes his head before throwing him a side glance. Daniel feels the judgement in his voice and stare and rolls his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Seongwoo snorts, “dude, look around you. The girls are trying to get your attention.”

 

Frowning at his words, Daniel catches glimpse of girls turning their head back to look in their direction. “Why are they looking? Is my fly open?”

 

“I hope not.” Seongwoo cringes. “Apparently, you’re the next big thing or something. Words been going around that you danced to class?” Daniel nods, he did. The teacher randomly chose someone to dance in front of the class on his first day. Fortunately, he had a choreography prepared beforehand else he’d looked like a bumbling idiot. The only problem is that he had to make a new routine for this week’s performance—apparently, the transferees were required to show one.

 

“And you know this from who?” Daniel raises his brow, he’s pretty sure he wasn’t in any of his class or anywhere near his department. Shrugging, Seongwoo starts, “Oh you know, _sources_.” He emphasises and it takes a few seconds for Daniel to digest the information, a scowl forming on his face. “I sure hope you don’t get any disease.”

 

“No glove, no love, hon."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel hears the first ring of bell and gathers the used utensils on the table, Seongwoo long gone, his tray left for Daniel to fix, running to his forgotten class with an exasperated sigh. The idiot forgot he had another class 15 minutes earlier and ran off with the promise of making up with him later. "he better treat me meat" he mutters, balling up the wrappers before tapping on his phone. He starts looking around the cafeteria and noticing a few girls sending him glances as he does, looking away whenever he gets caught staring.

 

Frankly, girls were something Daniel couldn’t understand. He wasn’t popular during his elementary and middle school years, often bullied by the popular ones and even getting cornered by the _girls_  for apparently looking 'ugly' ("The only thing ugly is their damn personality" Jihoon snarls) but when he shot through puberty during the end of middle school, his limbs longer, his nose and jaws more prominent and the baby fats he had on his cheeks complimenting him in the right places--high school started differently, with a few letters in his locker during the first week of classes and his bag full of of chocolates during valentine’s.

 

The girls in his middle school—the one that said he looked ugly and should get the fuck away from her (they were dissecting frogs for god’s sake, Daniel couldn't even remember her name) had confessed to him and it left him baffled and confused. Jihoon had told him to do what he wants, to accept her ‘dumbass’ confession (he hated her) or reject her stupid ass. He rejected her though, saying he was sorry and he wasn't interested in relationships and thankfully she understood. Sure, he didn't like her for her behavior during the earlier years but he wasn't about to be an ass and make her cry, besides that was in elementary, a lot of dumb things happen in elementary.

 

Raising his head up, he looks through the crowd and sighs in relief when he sees Jihoon raising his arms. “Finally,” he mutters, gesturing for Jihoon to come faster and noticing the looks some of the girls sends Jihoon, the latter smiling at them—his eyes in crescents and the corners of his mouth upturned as he says hello to one of the girls that called to him, stopping in his steps to talk about something to someone, probably a classmate.

 

Daniel snickers when he sees some girls trying to catch a glimpse of the latter. Jihoon had always been popular even in elementary. The teacher’s favorite, the class’ “prince” as they say and they weren’t wrong. His looks during the earlier years of his life remained to this day, doe eyes and flushed cheeks. Jihoon had always been handsome, or beautiful rather, Daniel thought. Always hating Daniel for calling him that that he decided to opt that out whenever he describes the latter.

 

Honestly, Daniel’s just thankful that Jihoon hadn’t left him during elementary and instead stayed with him during breaks, scowling at the people who threw remarks at him and even getting into a fist fight during middle school for purposely bumping on Daniel's shoulder. He was just so thankful that Jihoon was smart enough to call for their teacher beforehand, they could have buried their asses.

 

“Sorry, class took too long.” Jihoon starts, throwing his bag down on the chair as he sits down, Daniel shakes his head. “My class just dismissed early.” Jihoon hums and gestures at the tray, “Already ate?”

 

Daniel shakes his head, “No, Seongwoo-hyung was here” he gestures at the mess, “He forgot he had a class and ran away.”

 

Jihoon nods, “I expected as much.”

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Jihoon removes the stain on Daniel’s lips with his fingers, the latter grinning at him as he rolls his eyes. He was such a kid, sometimes jihoon forgets he was older than him by a year, maybe that was why he hasn’t really called him ‘hyung’ even during their early years.

 

“Woojin’s probably going to perform later, right?” Jihoon asks, they were walking to one of the practice rooms, sounds echoing in the hallway combined with voices from other students. “Yeah, the transfer students and new students are required to show a dance or something.” Jihoon hums, he hasn’t really talked to the younger for a few days now, always sleeping before he arrives and always leaving earlier than him. He’s pretty sure he was practicing till late at night because one time he woke up to sounds of someone entering, Woojin kept muttering colorful words at the teacher who organized the event.

 

“You didn’t know you were performing, right?” Daniel shrugs, “he told us on the first day of class and I swear to god I almost threw my bag at him. It was _after_ I performed the routine I’ve been perfecting.” Jihoon laughs at the scowl on his face, he knew that dance. They danced it together, Daniel always demanding him to practice with him, the graceful movements as they dance to Chainsmoker’s Don’t let me down, gliding on the floor and flicking their wrist and waving their body, he knew it too well to the point that he could agree that it was, in fact, perfect.

 

Jihoon checks his watch, “You’ve got about three hours till performance. Nervous?” Daniel opens one of the rooms, catching Woojin’s gaze who was talking to some of the people inside, “Hey,” he starts, approaching the latter midway. “I thought you died on me.”

 

Woojin snorts, “I wish,” He fist bumps with Daniel as the latter goes to one of the lockers, greeting some of the seniors and juniors also in the room. “I’m going to embarrass myself later and kill myself after.” Jihoon throws Daniel his bags and the latter catches it, nodding his head at a classmate, her hand swatting her boyfriend’s hand away. “Nice catch,” He mutters at Daniel, turning his head to look at Woojin. “Daniel told me you were the best he’d seen so I doubt that.”

 

“Daniel’s too nice.” Woojin groans, “ _he’s_ the one who’s great.”

 

“Doubt it, he’s been talking about you everytime we meet up.” And Daniel did, Jihoon always amused at the sparkle of excitement in his eyes as he talks about the younger’s prowess, he has so much passion, he says. Woojin shakes his head, remove his hand from covering his face, “busy with class? You sleep too early.” Woojin raises his brows and Jihoon scowls, they had been teasing him about it. “Shut up, and no, half of the teachers weren’t around the other half only wanted us to introduce ourselves.” He rolls his shoulder and his neck, shaking his hands for good measure.

 

Daniel walks towards them dressed in a loose shirt, “Hey, why don’t we start with a dance battle?”

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                         

 

 

Daniel starts hyping everyone in the room up, yelling encouragements to the people, trying to ease the nervousness “Hey, come on” he yells, jumping in time with the beat of the music, the few people inside jumping along, laughing at his antics. The song was upbeat as Daniel begins his move, sliding towards the floor and doing some b-boy moves Jihoon did not want to learn. Daniel looked amazing, graceful even. When jihoon does it, he looked like he was making out with the floor.

 

“Oohh~” The crowd cheers as Daniel spins on the floor, pushing himself from the floor with his right knee bent and left drawn back, smirking and biting his lips for a good measure before pointing at Woojin, the latter already in his element, all signs of nervousness ceased as he begins popping, guiding his right hands down towards his body as he does, sliding to the left and flicking his wrist in the air and the crowd cheers, hyping people up--one by one, they perform in the mini circle the crowd made before the his classmate—the girl, Jihoon forgot her name—dances, ballet with hints of popping, pointing at him as she finishes.

 

Daniel whistles, pushing Jihoon by the back.

 

He steps in the middle and rotates his neck, listening to the steady rhythm blasting through the speakers, bobbing his head along with the cheers from people. He starts with a chest pump before flicking his wrist and popping, turning his waist and jerks his right foot up, he gets ready for a floor jump, bending his knees as his back touches the floor before jumping back to his feet, pointing at the guy adjacent to him.

 

His breath is heavy as he slides next to Daniel, smiles on both their faces, the latter’s hand raised as he waits for a high five. “Still got some moves, huh” Daniel grins, “Of course,” He winks at him.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

“I didn’t know you could dance.” Woojin addressed, his breath heavy as he settles next to Jihoon. The dance battle they had earlier ended after everyone danced crazily—the nervousness long forgotten as some bid goodbye to them, having classes before the event.

 

“I do,” Jihoon shrugs, “Not as good as you guys, though.” Woojin snorts at him, “You did a floor jump, I’m pretty sure you’re as good as we are, I say _we_ because I think I’m a _little_ good too.” Jihoon rolls his eyes and pushes him by the shoulder. “You suck, you were such a nervous wreck, where did _that_ Woojin go?”

 

“I had coffee, that’s why.” Woojin scowls.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Daniel bites on his lips as he looks at the crowd forming, scrunching his brows at the amount of students present in the venue, his hands balled up into a fist. He had thought that only a few would actually come judging by how passive the teacher had announced it—or almost forgot to announce it but here they were, almost 100 students in and he’s sweating profusely.

 

“Nervous?” Jihoon asks, nudging him at the side and almost eliciting a yelp at how surprise he was. He looks at him from the side and sighs, “I just don’t want to embarrass myself at the end. I _did_ just prepare this for like, what, 4 days?”

 

“And you finished the routine in 4 hours.” Jihoon rolls his eyes, “You _perfected_ it in a day, Daniel, I’m sure you won’t embarrass yourself.” Jihoon wasn’t actually surprised that he finished it in one. He always did their choreographies when they had the chance to dance, pitching in a little bit but leaving everything to the latter.

 

“But—” Daniel starts.

 

“But nothing.” Jihoon cuts him off, raising his hand to take his, Daniel’s fingers interlocking with his. “You’re going to do great and I believe in you. Just like I always do, okay?” He raises an eyebrow at him, “besides if you _did_ embarrass yourself, I doubt there’s anything more embarrassing than ripping your pants on stage.” Daniel cringes at the memory

 

 

_Daniel and Jihoon stretches their limbs, the applause of the students loud and clear as they scream for the next performer. Standing up, Daniel proceeds to walk with Jihoon on the side of the stage and gets ready to be called by the MC. They were performing on stage for another talent show, their routines harder and faster this time and although Daniel isn’t worried about that, he’s pretty worried of the outfit he wore._

_A dress shirt with leather pants. It was tight and Daniel wonders how the hell people actually danced to this. Jihoon was against it of course, opting for tight, ripped jeans and a dark blue dress shirt, something they actually agreed on. Seriously, why he went for leather he doesn't know, he's pretty sure he watched some guy danced in them and ordered it the minute the video ended._

_“Let’s give it up for Kang Daniel and Park Jihoon!” They enter the stage, bowing to the mc and the croud with smiles on their faces before getting into positions._

_The music starts and they start off with the same moves transitioning to solo ones, showcasing their styles, the crowd’s cheering intensified as they reach the chorus, there were so much footwork in the routine and Jihoon would always groan in exhaustion every after performance, playfully complaining despite the smile on his face._

 

_The end was near, the music getting more upbeat as it does and the moves getting more hard. It ends with a half split on the floor, their right leg spread and their left bent and Daniel just knows he fucked up the moment he stood up and felt air on the back of his thighs down to his knees._

_What began as a small laughter became a mess of one big confusion, Jihoon laughing at the side as their friends guffaws in front of the stage, phones in their hand as they take pictures._

_There was a big slit in the middle of his pants, starting from the middle of his butt down to the side and almost to the back of his knees and if he wasn’t so comfortable with the students around him, he would have buried himself 30ft below._

 

“ _God_ , don’t remind me that.” Daniel groans and Jihoon chuckles at him, squeezing his hand before nudging. “You’re going to do great.” Jihoon starts, “Always do.” Daniel doesn’t respond but he squeezes his hand a little tighter and that’s all Jihoon wanted for assurance.

 

Woojin approaches them dressed in tight pants and v-neck shirt, his hair tousled up and his eyes coaled with black. “You look good.” Daniel starts, Woojin shrugs. “I know.” He looks at their hands and throws them a smirk and the two looked at each other before proceeding for a hug, Jihoon’s face on Daniel’s chest, the other’s hands tight on Daniel’s waist. “Wanna join?” Jihoon asks, almost choking at the laugh he was holding back, Woojin throwing them a disgusted look.

 

“Please,” he emphasizes. “Not in public.”

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Running up to the seat he reserved in the front row, he sees a familiar face talking to one of the students. Jogging up the few steps, he gets the attention of the other and nods his head at him. “sup,” he starts, sitting down on the seat. “I’m quite sure the third years are busy, though?”

 

The other snorts, “We are, but I’d rather fail than miss this.” Jihoon raises his brows, amused. “A lot of people, a lot of love.” The other winks and Jihoon scowls at his words, Seongwoo chortling at his expression.

 

Seongwoo and him had gotten acquainted, actually comfortable with the other’s attitude than he expected. Whenever he goes to Daniel’s room—which was a lot because the kid would always demand him to go because he apparently can’t find shit—Seongwoo would be there, getting ready to go out or lying on his bed, book snugged between his hands and eyebrows scrunched. He remembers him cussing at the book, getting startled at his words and the latter apologizing. “I don’t understand how there’s a fucking lot of books to read when all I want to do is stand on stage.” And Jihoon couldn’t agree more.

 

“Daniel’s performing, right?” Seongwoo asks, jihoon nods. “And Woojin?” he nods again. “You know him?”

 

“He always asks me to teach him some moves.” Seongwoo shrugs, craning his neck to search for someone. “You dance?” Seongwoo hums, waving his hand. “You do too, right? If my sources are right, you even did a floor jump?” Jihoon scrunches his brows, that literally happened 3 hours ago when the fuck did he had the time to get _resources_. “That happened earlier, how do you even know that—” He stops mid-sentence when he sees the person approaching him, throwing his bag on Seongwoo’s lap, the other scowling.

 

Jihoon bows at him and the latter does too, his eyes crinkling in crescents. His jaw was prominent and the bridge of his nose, high.

 

Jihoon knew him, their departments were close and he was talked about among the students, partly for his grades and talent and the other for his looks. “Hi,” The other starts, pushing Seongwoo’s legs away from the available seat next to the latter. “I’m Minhyun, I don’t think we’ve met.”

 

Jihoon takes his raised hand and smiles back, “Jihoon, uh,” He stutters, “Sunbae.”

 

Minhyun laughs and Seongwoo waves a dismissing hand. “Just call him hyung, he’s pretty awkward so excuse hi—” He stops mid-sentence at the jab Minhyun gives him, “Ignore this idiot and why not seat here, instead, I feel like we’re going to be good friends.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel rolls his shoulder as the teacher exits the stage. Walking towards the mini stadium, he bows to the crowd and searches for Jihoon, once he sees the latter waving his hands, he throws him a grin and stands in position. His hand in his pocket, his knees bent, and then he closes his eyes, the crowd’s cheer slowly turning into a slow hum, the beat of the music ringing in his ears.

 

He was nervous, yes, but this feeling was what made him loved everything about dancing. The thrill that envelopes his body at the sound of cheers—it was addicting.

 

And then his first move started.

 

 

 

 

Jihoon had always admired Daniel when he talked about dancing, his eyes flaring up with passion, a determined grinned on his face as he talks about his dream of becoming a dance instructor and owning his own dance studio and company with his hard earned money. He too, had that dream once, but it was never this passionate, never this graceful.

 

Daniel dances in a way that makes people stop and watch him in awe, a mix of modern dance and B-boying, and he steals the crowd’s attention. His eyes are drunk with passion and fire and Jihoon’s in awe at how the flick of his wrist and the way he glides on the floor always looked so elegant and he’s suddenly reminded of their times together, how whenever they practice for an event, he stops mid-dancing and just watches Daniel.

 

Watches how he becomes one with music, watches the joy illuminates his face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel releases a smirk, tousling his hair as he does a body roll. God, he loved dancing. He knew it wasn’t the most stable future, might not have the most stable job but this was his passion.

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon releases a breath he’s been holding as Daniel nears the end of the song, his fist balled into a fist as Seongwoo cheers for the latter, his friend also doing the same. He hears a bunch of girls on his side, cheering for him and grins.

 

“Wow, did you see that?!”

 

“He smirked, I’m pretty sure, he smirked!”

 

“Isn’t that Kang Daniel?”

 

He shakes his head at the questions and remarks and stands up along with Seongwoo and his friend, yelling Daniel's name time for him to do his last move.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel breathes through his nose, hard. He could feel the sweat dripping down his back and face, feels the heat crawling up every nook and crevice of his body, feels the gazes of students, and then he lifts his head. What started as small claps, turned into one booming noise and he grins again, bowing.

 

“Give it up again for Kang Daniel!” The teacher yells through the mic as he walks towards where Daniel was, patting his shoulder for a job well done before he tells him something off mic. “Great to have you in my class.”

 

Daniel takes his extended hand and thanks him, jogging through the backstage and wiping the sweat on his forehead, fist bumping with Woojin. “You were awesome back there!” Woojin acclaimed and Daniel smiles in embarrassment, “Thank you.” He wasn’t used to compliments, in fact, he’d get red eared whenever someone does.

 

“You’re going to do great!” He taps his back for reassurance as the teacher introduces him, a lengthy description of them that wasn't the most accurate (they did it with him too, unfortunately), the latter’s face paling at every words before nodding.

 

Walking further, he is greeted by some of his classmates and the others probably his senior or younger than him, congratulating him for a job well done when he sees Jihoon at the corner of his eyes. “Thanks, hyung.” He laughs, shaking his hand before running towards the younger.

 

“Hey,” He smiles, biting his lips in a bashful way that he does when he’s shy. Jihoon rolls his eyes at his expression, a smile on his face as he playfully pushes him by the shoulder. “I told you, you’re going to do great.” Daniel doesn’t hide the grin that spreads on his face and gives Jihoon a side hug despite his protest "You're sweaty, god damn it". They walk towards their seat as they hear the start of Woojin’s performance, “Come on, I wanna see his stage.” Jihoon pulls him by the hand as they sprint towards their chairs, Seongwoo greeting them.

 

“If you were my type, I’d be all over you by now.” Seongwoo snorts and Daniel snickers at him, sharing a seat with Jihoon, not noticing the girls on the side falling silent at his presence. “Thank god for that.”

 

Seongwoo playfully scowls at him before they settle themselves on their seat, Jihoon pushing Seongwoo to move and share his seat and the latter pushes Minhyun so they could fit then the cheers for Woojin begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminding everyone that every story is beautiful and should be appreciated, I'm writing this for fun and I'm quite sure the others are too so spread love instead of hate. ;)
> 
> Positive criticism is okay but being a dick isn't~


	5. Can and Can't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Always ready to stab each other in the eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even going to explain why i haven't updated anymore it'll just sound like i'm making an excuse lol
> 
> Enjoy~

_Daniel had always hated bugs._

 

_He hated it to the point where he almost had a car accident from running away from it, his mother’s cries still ringing in his ears at how worried they were and what would have happened. After the initial worry wore off, however, they sent him to his room, grounded. Honestly, he was almost thankful, he really did just want to be in the comfort of his room, playing games._

 

_He hears someone knock on the door before it opens. Jihoon was looking at him, his hands crossed in front of him. “What?” he grumbles, already knowing Jihoon was going to nag at him. He had already received a scolding from his mother, he didn’t think he could go through another one but then again maybe he might just accept it with no complaints. Especially since it was his birthday._

 

_Jihoon sighs, closes the door before heading over to his bed, throwing himself on the available space next to him._

 

_“Does your mom know you’re here?” Daniel asks, a pout already on his lips despite his earlier compliance. He didn’t even get to eat cake._

 

_“Nope,” Jihoon answered, his voice muffled by his position. He stays like that for a couple of seconds before propping himself up with his arms. “You had me worried.”_

 

_Daniel sighs, throwing his game control on the bed. “I’m sorry.”_

 

_“You should be,” Jihoon scowls, “It’s my birthday.”_

 

_“I know,” Daniel sighs, taking something from his pocket. “I got you something, though.”_

 

_Jihoon doesn't move at first but Daniel could see the change of expression, his eyes crinkling in excitement. He gives Jihoon the small box he was hiding and observes as the latter hurriedly sits down, looking at it before looking at Daniel. “Can I open it?” Daniel smiles, nodding. If he wasn’t so sure Jihoon would like it, he would be sweating by now._

 

_Jihoon opens the small box and a smile slowly spreads on his face, his lips upturned and his eyes in crescents, no wonder he was popular in school. “Like it?” He asks, Jihoon nods and takes the necklace out. It had no pendant, just a silver thin necklace yet Jihoon was looking at it like it meant the world to him. “I’d give you the pendant on your birthday next year.” Jihoon looks at him wide eyes, “You got me a pendant?”_

 

_Daniel grins, “Who knows.”_

 

_Jihoon scowls, “Come on, just tell me.”_

 

_“Nope” Daniel pokes a tongue out, “Don’t lose that else I’m not giving it to you.” Jihoon rolls his eyes but the smile on his face is what gives him out, he puts it on himself before asking Daniel to do it, “How will you live without me?” Daniel sighs, Jihoon snorts. “I think the question is, how will_ you _live without me? If I wasn’t there to kill that pathetic insect for you, your mom’s going to dig you up and kill you again in your grave.”_

 

_Daniel doesn't argue back._

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon scowls as Daniel takes another piece of chicken from his plate, jabbing him at the side, “There’s a lot of chicken,” He growls, gesturing at the plate in front of them. “Get one for yourself.” Daniel shrugs before showing him his tongue, the former rolling his eyes at how Daniel was. Sometimes, Jihoon  _really_ wanted to punch him in the balls.

 

They were in a restaurant just outside of school with Woojin, Seongwoo and Minhyun, who happened to have gotten close to them—Daniel knew him too, he had visited their room a couple of times. They went just after the event earlier, too hungry to cook and too lazy to think of what to eat. Besides, Seongwoo owed Daniel food and at times like this, what was Daniel’s was also his—it was the rule of friendship.

 

Jihoon was comfortable with Seongwoo and Minhyun, they were nice. And although Seongwoo would sometimes make him want to strangle him, it wasn’t really that bad. Minhyun on the other hand was nice to the point that it felt awkward to talk to him, he almost dropped the “F” bomb when they were talking and although he doesn’t really care, he didn’t think Minhyun would appreciate the curses on their first day of meeting.

 

“I’m going to go broke because of all of you.” Seongwoo sighs as he looks at the plates of food on the table before looking at his wallet. Not even a month in and he’s almost going to crawl home. He looks at the side and scowls at Minhyun, his plate full of meat. “I’m pretty sure half of what we ordered is for you.” Minhyun shrugs, “It is. And it’s good.”

 

“True.” Woojin agrees, taking a spoonful of rice.

 

“I'm going to fucking murder you.” Jihoon growls as he pushes Daniel by the side and before the other could react, Seongwoo interjects, “Stop.” He starts, “There’s plenty of meat for everyone.” He points at the plates of meat hoping to distract them from potentially stabbing each other in the eye. He'd seen enough of their fights in their shared room and he didn't think the owner of the restaurant would appreciate them screaming at each other's face.

 

“I’m going to fucking murder you in your sleep.” Jihoon grumbles.

 

“Try—” Daniel starts, stopping mid-sentence when he notices the two girls that stopped at their table, their expression almost guilty as they fiddle with their fingers. The other had short hair, her eyes darting from her friend to her phone while the one next to her had long, black ones. Her eyes coaled with eyeliner that he's suddenly reminded of Jihoon's emo phase back in high school. 

 

Jihoon doesn't notice it at first, Woojin had to nod at their direction for him to turn and look. “Uhm,” Minhyun starts, a smile on his face. Before he could talk, however, Seongwoo interrupts him. “What can I help you with?” Seongwoo props his head on his hand, a smile on his lips.

 

The long haired girl looks at him before bowing, a tight smile on her lips as she nudges her friend who was trying to distract herself from the attention. “Uhm,” The girl had said, the one with the short hair. Daniel thinks she looks familiar. “We’re… uh—you say it—” She nudges her friend at the side and shies away behind her. The other scowls at her before sighing. “Sorry for disturbing you but my friend here,” She points at the first girl who talked. “Wanted to take pictures with… uhm… you." She looks at Daniel and the latter points at himself, startled. Why would she want to take pictures with him? "if that’s okay.” She awkwardly shifts her body, probably realizing at how awkward it was. They approached a bunch of college students who were eating, didn’t even introduce themselves and now they were asking for a picture. “You know what” She begins, “It’s rude of us, let’s not—”

 

“No,” Daniel could have laughed at their panic expression but he didn’t. If there's one thing he remembers from his father's endless stories, it was to never be rude to anyone. He opts to smile at them before standing up, “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Aren’t you guys popular?” Seongwoo grins, Woojin’s ears still flushed from the earlier interaction as Daniel continues to eat. The other girl who had talked instead of her friend wanted to take Woojin’s instead, the younger almost choking on his drink as he tried not to panic. "I’m not.” Woojin grumbles, taking a piece of meat and averting his eyes in embarrassment.

 

“I think she’s in one of my classes, I’m not exactly sure.” Daniel blurted, scratching his cheek as he takes another mouthful. He hadn’t really been interacting with any of the girls in his class other than needed, too busy to think of a new routine as his friends bother him to wits end. They had only been here for a couple of weeks but Daniel could say that the department was good, greater than his past university actually. The teachers were nice and despite the heavy workload, he was actually learning something.

 

Seongwoo sighs, “I think you need a life.” Minhyun snorts on his side, “he says that but once exams start, you can’t see this guy” Minhyun points at Seongwoo, “He barely sleeps to study.” Seongwoo pushes him by the shoulder and scowls. "Shut up, they didn't need to know that."

 

“That’s,” Jihoon begins, an amused grin on his lips, “very unlike you. Also very similar to someone I know.” His gaze lands on Daniel who was obviously avoiding it. Jihoon was the type to manage his time, planning every little thing and sticking to it. Daniel wasn’t. Daniel liked to do things spontaneously, like the time he sent in his application along with Jihoon.

 

Seongwoo rolls his eyes at them before his gaze lands on the stain on Jihoon’s right cheeks, unconsciously lifting his hand to wipe at it. He had always done this with people—girls or boys alike and even Minhyun was used to it that the startled look on Jihoon's face and the hand on his wrist came as a surprise. 

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” he feels the grip of Daniel’s hand tighten around his wrist and looks at him, Daniel's brows were raised. Woojin snickers from the side and Jihoon knows what he’s thinking so he gives him a jab on the rib and rejoices at his yelp.

 

“What do  _you_ think?” He asks, raising a brow. He wiggles his finger to emphasize the stain, gesturing towards it with his head. “There was a stain on his face.” Daniel lets his hand go but the scowl on his face remain. “I told you, not Jihoon.” He grumbles. Seongwoo rolls his eyes, “But what if Jihoon liked me?”

 

“I’m not—” Jihoon interjects.

 

“He isn’t going to.” Daniel snorts, “You’re too annoying.” 

 

“You know what, spit out everything you ate.”

 

 

 

 

 

Woojin throws a hand over Jihoon as they walk towards the university, the three in front of them as Seongwoo and Daniel argue over their laundry. “Still childhood friends?” He asks, Jihoon doesn’t have to turn to look at Woojin to know the shit eating smirk he had on his face. “Still childhood friends. Always will.” Woojin snorts, “Tell me that when Daniel-hyung doesn’t actually look like he’s about to kill me.” He removes the hand on Jihoon’s shoulder before shrugging.

 

“You guys are too slow” Daniel rolls his eyes, Jihoon hums. He had just finished his papers and it wasn’t everyday he goes out of his room—either he was too tired or he was playing games—so he’s taking everything in. The university looked different at night compared to Daniel’s back in Busan when the older would drag him out of the house when they had a school festival, dozens of classmates asking if he was Daniel’s brother. (“No, I’m too smart” he says every time.) He looks at the dozens of shops at the side surrounded by students rushing in to eat or go back to the university for their last class and feels overwhelmed when he looks at the friends he made in just a matter of short time.

 

He wasn’t exactly an emotional person nor did he laugh as much as Daniel did but the little moments he spends with his new found friends kind of makes him thankful that he sent in his application.

 

He looks in front and notices someone waving at the corner of his eyes. Turning his head to look at what it was, he sees his classmate waving at him to come, “Oh,” He starts, gaining Woojin and Daniel’s attentions. “Wait, go ahead, I’ll catch up to you.” He taps on Daniel’s back before jogging towards his classmate, her hair dancing in the wind as some of her classmates fidget when he nears.

 

She smiles as Jihoon nods at her, her short hair framing her face in all the right angles, cheeks flushed from the spring breeze and her eyes crinkling. She was the first person Jihoon became friends with, her bubbly personality almost making him comforted despite the nervousness of the first day. “I’m sorry, were you busy?” She asks. Jihoon shakes his head no, “Not really, we were just about to go back.”

 

 

 

 

 

Seongwoo turns to look at Daniel and Woojin and furrows his brows when he sees that Jihoon wasn’t with them. “Where’s jihoon?” he says, Minhyun turns to look, curious. “He’s talking with someone.” Woojin shrugs, gesturing toward the latter a few meters away from them.

 

“Oh?” Seongwoo pipes, “That’s Yoojung, right?” Daniel turns to look at Seongwoo, “You know her?” he asks, Jihoon told him he had a few friends in class but he didn’t really drop names. “Yeah,” Seongwoo answers, “She used to be our junior in high school. She’s really good at theater, I didn’t think she was in this school as well.” Minhyun nods for confirmation, “Wonder what they’re talking about though.”

 

Daniel looks at them curiously, Jihoon’s cheeks bulging as he smiles down at her, chuckling at whatever they were talking about before smiling.

  

_Daniel furrows his brows as he shifts from one foot to another, bidding goodbye to some of the juniors who knew him, his friends long gone—too tired to force him to come with them. “Where the hell is that idiot..” he mutters more to himself than out loud, seeing one of Jihoon’s friends walking towards the exit._

 

_He waves his hand to catch his attention, “Hi,” he smiles, momentarily forgetting his name. “Mark, right?” he asks, the latter nods at him warily, he wasn’t exactly close with him unlike Jihoon’s other friends, he was a new transferee in the middle of the semester. “Have you seen Jihoon?”_

 

_Mark furrows his brows at his question before shaking his head, “He told me to go first since he was going to meet up with you.” Daniel scratches the back of his neck, then where was he? Nodding, he smiles at the latter and thanks him, tapping his shoulder for good measure before jogging back to the building. “if we miss the god damn appointment, I’ll kill him.”_

 

_Walking up to the 3 rd floor, he heaves as he turns the corner to Jihoon’s classroom, the voices inside stopping him from opening the door. He peaks at the slight opening and raises a brow when he sees Jihoon and two other girls inside, a neatly wrapped present in between them, one of the girls passing it to Jihoon._

 

_“I know it’s a little weird for me to be giving it you but I’ve always li—” Daniel closes the door, subtly. Leaning on the door’s frame as he waits for the latter. He didn’t think it was any good to eavesdrop, besides, he knew Jihoon kind of had a crush on the girl._

_He waits a few minutes, sitting down on the top of the staircase, humming as he plays on his phone before the opening of the door catches his attention. He cranes his neck to look back, Jihoon raising an eyebrow at him. “what are you doing?” he asks, the present snugged between his armpit._

 

_“waiting for you.” Daniel rolls his eyes, standing up and dusting his pants off. “I swear to god if we miss the appointment, I’m going to kill you.” Jihoon rolls his eyes at him, looking at his watch before he scoffs. “we have two hours.” Jihoon starts to walk down the stairs with Daniel by his side, the sound of their heels against the floor their only company._

 

_It was quiet and comfortable, something Daniel had gotten used to when he was with Jihoon. There were times when their games would lead to them getting grounded or they were at each other’s throats but there were also times like this when it’s just quiet, just comfortable. “I’ve been confessed.” Jihoon announces._

 

_Daniel hums, “So I’ve heard.”_

 

_“I kind of told her I’d think about it.”_

 

_“I see—wait, what?” Daniel stops and turns to look at him, “Didn’t you tell me you liked her?”_

 

_"Yes.” Jihoon starts, the tips of his ears burning._

 

_“Then, why?”_

 

_“I panicked, okay!” Jihoon covers his face with his hands, the embarrassment of what happened earlier still making him cringe. What the actual fuck did he do? Did he really just say he’ll think about it? What the actual fuck? He knew he was a little bad at communicating, but he didn’t think it was bad enough to become a stuttering mess in front of someone he genuinely think was cute._

 

_“That bad?” Daniel asks, grimacing._

 

_“That bad.”_

 

 

 

Jihoon walks to his friends, turning to wave his hand at Yoojung and her friends before running the few steps. “Sorry it took so long.” He says, “We were talking about the assignment we needed to pass by the end of the month.” He cringes, he almost forgot about that. “Is it about history or something?” Seongwoo asks.

 

Jihoon nods, “why do we have to make a scrapbook for  _history_?”

 

“Exactly my ordeal.” Seongwoo snorts, “That teacher never changes projects. I think I still have mine somewhere, do you want to borrow it?” Jihoon doesn’t even bother to hide his excitement, nodding. “Good god, thank you.” He sighs, a little relieved that he at least had a head start. “Of course, it’s not free.” Seongwoo ruffles his hair, and snickers at the scowl on his face.

 

Okay, he takes it back. He hated Daniel’s roommate.

 

Scowling, he playfully nudges him before finally walking back towards the dorm, Woojin and Minhyun talking about something and Seongwoo talking to someone on the phone. Daniel nudges him at the side, “I see you’re okay with talking to girls now.”

 

Jihoon looks at him before realization hits him, chuckling as he pushes him by the shoulders. “shut up.” When will Daniel ever let him live?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two weeks in and Jihoon’s just about ready to fling the scrapbook to the nearest trash can and flip the bird at just about everyone. The deadline was 2 weeks away and with how stupid he was with art, his little hands and uncoordinated fingers almost making it look like trash more than anything, the design falling off and the ends of the papers folded, he was almost at breaking point.

 

Seongwoo’s scrapbook helped with some of the content, but his teacher decided that instead of the history of theater and arts, why not make it three, history of theater and arts  _and_  literature because making them suffer is his specialty, it seems. Yoojung was also about to dropkick anyone talking to her about the scrapbook that Jihoon almost felt sorry but then he remembers how much of a shit his work was.

 

Throwing another failed attempt at making a star, he groans and flops down on his bed, looking at the ceiling before he remembers Woojin on the other side of the room. “I kind of wish I applied for dance instead but then I look at you.” Jihoon looks at Woojin as the latter puts an ice pack over his calf, cringing as he tries to find a comfortable position.

 

“Shut up and do your work.” Woojin throws a balled up paper at him, “And clean your shit. The room looks like Seongwoo and Daniel-hyung’s.” Woojin cringes as he remembers the time he went with Jihoon and Minhyun to their shared room, their lunch almost forgotten as Minhyun decides to at least clean their bed. (“For fuck’s sake, you’re past 20 learn to god damn fold your sheets.” Minhyun glares.)

 

Jihoon groans, “Don’t you have a class to attend to?” his mornings were loaded today but his afternoons were free and despite wanting to sleep, the scrapbook wasn’t going to do it by itself. “Nah,” Woojin answers, taking his laptop out. “My class doesn’t start until 4.” Jihoon whines, at least when he was alone, nobody would judge him swearing at every paper he touches. Woojin doesn’t even try to conceal his stares.

 

Jihoon gawks at the ceiling before an idea pops in his mind, startling Woojin as he sits down, hastily looking for his phone. Standing up, he throws on a beanie, “I’m going to go ask Seongwoo-hyung for help.” He tells the latter who waves at him in response.

 

Jihoon trudges up the stairs, tapping on his phone to send a message to Daniel that he was in his room. Turning, he knocks on the door and waits, hoping Seongwoo was in the room. If he remembers correctly, he mentioned something about class cancelling. “It’s open.” Seongwoo yells, sighing in relief as he turns the knob.

 

It wasn’t like it was his first time here, he  _did_  sleepover a few times or even spent breaks here (when he forgets his keys and Woojin is still in class) but it was always with Daniel, Seongwoo, and him. Sometimes just him and Daniel but never just the two of them. “Daniel’s not yet here though?” Seongwoo looks at him through his laptop, raising an eyebrow as Jihoon pushes a sock away with his feet.

 

 “I know,” He starts, jumping onto Daniel’s bed, his face buried in the sheets before looking at Seongwoo. “I need help.” He gives him the best smile he could come up with despite the obvious bags underneath his eyes and his unwashed hair. Maybe if he smiled enough, Seongwoo would even help him cut paper stars. Didn't work for Woojin though. “Still the scrapbook?” Seongwoo asks, placing his laptop down on the side before ripping open a packet of chocolate. “Didn’t I tell you to pass mine? The teacher probably wouldn’t notice, anyway.”

 

Jihoon rolls his eyes before extending his hand for a chocolate, Seongwoo giving it to him. “Besides the fact that that’s risky, the content’s only on the history of theater and arts  _and_  there’s a fucking dick drawing on the last page.” Jihoon cringes as he remembers it, almost deciding to just take the risk and pass it instead but then Woojin was going through it and was pleasantly surprised at the badly drawn dick. “It wasn’t even a good drawing.”

 

“Hey,” Seongwoo pointed out, “At least I actually passed the class.”

 

Jihoon puts a hand on his chest and exclaims, “Now, that’s just rude.” Seongwoo closes his eyes, dramatically putting a hand over his forehead. “alas, it’s true.” Jihoon snorts in response, throwing a pillow at Seongwoo’s direction before the latter stands up, handing the chocolate to jihoon. “I think I have a copy of the history about literature somewhere—calm down, I’m not sure.”

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon kicks Seongwoo’s feet away before looking through the papers once more, reading and re-reading the text as the latter laughs on whatever was on his laptop. He was on Seongwoo’s bed, skimming through the notes Seongwoo had given him, placing the pile of finished ones on the table. He decided to stay here instead because taking them to Daniel’s bed was too tiring and Seongwoo wouldn’t budge, a silent agreement between them to mind their spaces.

 

“I didn’t think you take notes, hyung.” Jihoon starts, actually impressed at how detailed it was. “Well, first year was nerve wrecking. Also, because Minhyun would drop kick me if I failed the first semester.” Seongwoo snorts. “Past second year, you’re probably going to skip classes like me.”

 

“I hope not.” Jihoon grimaces, “I don’t think I can live with the fact that I skipped—what is that?” He asks, furrowing his brows at he looks at the thing wedged between Seongwoo’s drawer and the wall. Too familiar. The thing looked too familiar. “What’s what?” Seongwoo asks, turning to look at the latter. He props himself up to look at where Jihoon was pointing, his eyes widening as he sees what it was. “Oh, so that’s where it was.” He stands up to move the table before he reaches for the object, a mask with strips of numerous colors designing it. “I thought I lost this.”

 

“That’s,” Jihoon blurted, “That’s yours?” He asks, pointing at the mask, his eyes wide. “This?” Seongwoo asks, scanning the object and blowing away the dust and sits at the edge of the bed where Jihoon was. “Yeah, it’s from a musical I did as a child. The first one I actually participated in. Almost gave me a heart attack.”

 

“Finding Neverland?” Jihoon asks, cautiously.

 

“Yup,” Seongwoo nods, “I played the younger version of the main character—” he stops, turning to look at Jihoon. “How did you know?” Jihoon points at the mask before pointing at Seongwoo. “It’s the first Musical I’ve seen.”

 

 

 

 

 

_It was his mother’s birthday today and despite the slight protest from both, his brother had shushed him as they enter the music hall, a pout on his face as he readies himself for the boredom that always settles whenever his father forces him to watch these—it was his mother’s favorite. Usually, it would be a little tolerable. With Daniel by his side, they’d talk in hush whispers all through-out but then Daniel’s family had gone to Seoul for the weekend, therefore he was left to try and actually watch through it._

 

_It started a little slow, the difference between the ones they’ve seen before peeking his interest. Their mother usually watched (or listened) to orchestras but this one was a story about the start of peter pan or what was. By the middle, he was sitting on the edge of his seat, his eyes looking at the person, a little older than he was, playing the role of the younger pan, his face covered with a mask jihoon remembers vividly. Orange and green and yellow and a lot more colors._

 

_The child had removed the mask by the end of it, bowing to the audience before running backstage--his father calling for him. He had asked him to take him backstage so he could meet the younger pan. “You know we can’t do that.” His father sighs, ruffling his hair. “Now, go on. I’ll just wait for you mother.” His father told him, his brother tugging him to come with him to the bathroom._

 

_He was almost about to tear up in disappointment when he heard a familiar voice entering the restroom and comes face to face with a child clad in green overalls. “Uh..” He stutters out, “Uhm.”_

 

 

 

 

“Wait, that was you?” Seongwoo asks, furrowing his brows, remembering startled eyes and neon shirt. Jihoon nods as he covers his flushed face with his hands, “God, I can’t believe it.” He mumbles, almost inaudible. He can't believe that the child he thought looked cool turned out to be a bum. “You cried and told me how amazing I was.” Seongwoo snorts, looking at the mask before looking at Jihoon. “ _I know_ ” Jihoon groans. “I’m pretty sure everybody thought you punched me or something.”

 

Seongwoo scrunches his nose. “Oh yeah,” he starts, remembering how his father side eyed him. “I almost threw my mask at you—” He hears the doors opening and sees Daniel walking in, his eyes wide as he looks at Seongwoo before shifting his attention at Jihoon. “What are you doing here?” The latter shrugs and compiles the notes on his lap. “I needed help with that shit ass scrapbook.” He takes a packet of chocolate from Seongwoo’s desk and throws it at Daniel.

 

“Okay,” Daniel says, warily, “But why are you in Seongwoo-hyung’s bed?” Seongwoo flips a bird at him. “Good afternoon to you too.” Daniel takes a pillow from his bed and throws it at him.

 

“Well, for starters,” He points at Daniel’s bed, “it’s a mess.”

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon extends his arm and gives the glue to Daniel and the latter takes it, stealthy dusting glitters on top as he tries not to spill it on his bed. Jihoon had taken his things from his room—Woojin was in class—and decided to make a mess in Daniel’s room instead (“A little more wouldn’t really make a difference”) and Seongwoo  _decided_ that he had classes the moment Jihoon asked for help. What an ass.

 

“Hey,” Daniel begins. “I’m telling you now but you can’t like Seongwoo-hyung or Woojin, okay?”

 

Jihoon raises his gaze up from the paper he was cutting, his gaze stays on Daniel’s before he resumes. “Why not?” he asks, Daniel shrugs. “Well, if you broke up with Woojin, you can’t sleep in your room anymore. And if you broke up with Seongwoo-hyung, how do you think can I sleep at night?”

 

Jihoon snorts. “You know I’d never date friends. Not anymore, at least.”

 

 

 

 

 

_Jihoon looks at the box of chocolates in his hands, the somber feeling of something itching at the back of his mind living him bothered that it should and he doesn’t know if he should be happy because of the realization or not. He sighs as he ruffles his hair, crouching down and leaning on the wall, his back against it as he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket._

  

_Daniel looks at his phone as another one of his call is directed to voice mail, biting his lower lip in frustration as he tosses his phone on the side of the bed. He looks at the ceiling and scowls as an image of Jihoon telling him to leave him alone pops up. “The fuck was he pissed for?” he mutters, annoyed._

 

_Jihoon had been avoiding him for weeks now and at first he thought it was because Jihoon was in the earlier phase of relationship and wanted to spend his time with his girlfriend but then he finds him in the library one afternoon. Jihoon had told him he was meeting up with Soeun, the girl who had confessed to him, but then there he was, book in one hand, his phone vibrating on the side._

 

_Ever since then, he’d been trying to call the younger but either he rejects it or tells him he’s busy. Honestly, if Daniel was an asshole who didn’t care about him, he wouldn’t have this problem now. But he does. His hand finds his phone once more before a knock on the door catches his attention. “Come in” he calls out, tapping at his phone._

 

_The door opens and Daniel looks at who it was, surprised as he sees Jihoon in his room, his lips pursed as he fidgets under Daniel’s gaze. “Finally done ignoring me?” he asks. Maybe he was being immature but he doesn’t really care. Jihoon sighs before settling his bag down the usual spot, throwing himself on the space next to Daniel, the latter not doing anything to kick him out of the bed, thankfully._

_Daniel lets him lie down, noticing how dark the skin underneath his eyes were and how exhausted he looked. “I broke up with Soeun.” He hears him say in that tiny little voice that Daniel hated hearing from Jihoon. It sounded insecure and Jihoon shouldn’t feel that way. “Hey,” Daniel starts, his hand pausing mid-air to touch Jihoon’s hair before he settles it on his back, patting him gently. “It’s okay, it’s not the end of the world.” He tells him, cringing at the words he used._

 

_His first heartbreak was also as bad as this, probably even worse. He had snot running all over his face then, at least Jihoon still looked presentable. “You can cry if you want, I’m here for you, always will” He pats him on the back before he settles it on his hair, lightly ruffling it. Jihoon’s hair was always so soft._

 

_Jihoon shakes his head a little and says something, his voice muffled by the sheets. “Come again?” Daniel asks, crouching down and moving closer. “I said,” Jihoon starts, almost inaudible. He was facing the other side, “I broke up with her.” Daniel’s furrows his brows in curiosity, Jihoon had been the happiest since he went out with her, “you don’t mind asking me why?” he says softly, running his hands over his hair, massaging his temples._

 

_It takes a couple of minutes before Jihoon so much as moves, Daniel had lied down on the mattress, his head near the younger as he patiently waits for him. If jihoon didn’t want to say anything, he was okay with it. “I,” Jihoon stutters out, “I liked her.” Daniel hums to let him know that he was listening. “She was cute and nice. But…” He trails, Daniel knew he was getting choked up. “I think I… like guys.”_

 

_Daniel scrunches his brows at his words. Shock written all over his face. “Hm,” he hums, not knowing what to say and do, “And girls too..” Jihoon says, ruffling his hair before looking at the side, Daniel could finally see his eyes—tired and red. He was probably thinking about this for weeks. Probably thinking about how Daniel would react. Jihoon was always worried at the littlest things. “Probably.” He whispers._

 

_Daniel lets his eyes stay on Jihoon and the latter does the same. He lifts his hand up to remove the stray hair on Jihoon’s face before a playful smile takes over his face, striking Jihoon’s forehead gently. “Ow!” Jihoon moves away, cringes before glaring at Daniel. “What was that for?”_

 

_“Do you think I’d avoid you just because of this?” Daniel asks, raising his brows and Jihoon shifting his eyes was the only answer he needed. “You’re a dumbass. I’ve been friends with you for years, something likes isn’t going to keep me away.” He rolls his eyes. Shock or not, Jihoon was his friend first._

 

_Besides, love was love._

 

_“Damn,” Jihoon mutters, a smile on his face—Daniel couldn’t ask for more. “I thought I could finally escape you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Finding Neverland is a Musical. Seongwoo played the little pan  
> 2\. The mask is colorful af


	6. Cassette

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, i updated in less than a week. I think I need to be applauded.

“Dumbass, go right! Right! Why the—shit.” Woojin watches as the screen flashes the words ‘you lose’ and sighs for the nth time, tossing the controller on the bed and glares at Seongwoo, Jihoon’s guffaw in the back making the bed shake. “I told you to go right.” He deadpans, Seongwoo shrugs. “You went  _left_. Do you even know where—You know what, stop playing.” He stands up and marches the little distance to Seongwoo's bed and takes his controller and throws it at Jihoon’s way. “You don’t deserve this.”

 

“Hey,” Seongwoo complains, his brows knitted “You’re in  _my_  room. On  _my_  bed. Using  _my_ game control and  _my_  television. The least you could do is teach me.” He plops on the bed and throws a pillow at Woojin and the latter catches it much to his chagrin. “Hey, it’s not our fault that you’re rich and could afford this. I didn’t even think it’s allowed for students to have their own television.”

 

“It isn’t.” Seongwoo dismisses. “But I’m not like other students.”

 

“Besides, we’ve been teaching you for the past hour. The least you could do is remember where your right and left is.” He could just hear and feel Woojin rolling his eyes at him. “I do know, dumbass.” He gave him a dirty look, “I was just panicking since the enemy was near.” Woojin scoffs, “We’re playing Mario kart, the fuck is the enemy you’re talking about?” He doesn’t answer. Instead, he feels the dip of his bed and a hand on his wrist, Jihoon tugging him back up, the latter still laughing at how dumb he was or at Woojin. Either way, he’s a little offended. “Come on,” Jihoon urges, “I’ll teach you one last time so it’s actually worth playing with you. I don’t wanna waste my time playing a losing battle.” The latter hands him the controller despite Woojin’s complaints.

 

Seongwoo groans before taking it, flipping at Woojin for being an asshole. Daniel had classes today so he was left with looking after two kids. Minhyun, on the other hand texted him to stop calling, he was busy with the upcoming recital and he wasn’t about to take care of the shit he caused—which was buying a television. So much for being friends. He did ask them if they didn’t have other friends though because honestly, they’ve been in their rooms most of the time that he’s starting to wonder if they were being ostracized in class. Jihoon snorted (“Let’s just say I have more than you could ever get”) and Woojin scoffed (“I’m not you”).

 

 

 

Mid-game, Woojin pauses the screen and answers his phone. “Yeah—no—you’re 17—no—wha—fuck.” He glares at the screen before groaning, catching Seongwoo and Jihoon’s attention. He sighs before pushing himself off the bed and handing the controller to Jihoon. “You know that cousin I told you about?” He asks, standing up. Seongwoo and Jihoon watches him, “The one who’s from America or the annoying one?” Jihoon asks. Woojin purses his lips, “Same person.”

 

“Oh,” Jihoon nods, he remembers Woojin complaining about it a number of times whenever he finishes a phone call with him. “Yeah, what about him?”

 

“Seems like he’s at the airport right now and he wants me to pick him up.” Woojin mutters, scowling at the end. He doesn’t even know why he needs to be fetched when he could just come here by booking a cab, but no, Woojin had to pick up a 17-year-old child. Jihoon cringes in understanding, “Do you want me to come with you?” he offers.

 

Woojin shakes his head no, giving him a defeated smile, “It’s okay, I think we’d have to see his mom first anyway.” He takes his phone from the side table before walking towards the door, nodding at Seongwoo and Jihoon. “If I kill him, at least tell the world Seongwoo-hyung does not know where his right is.”

 

“Fuck off.” Seongwoo calls out in time for Woojin to close the door. Jihoon snorts at his last attempt to save himself before he shook his head. He stands up to take some food from the stash Seongwoo keeps in the drawers, “Want some?” Jihoon asks. Seongwoo’s mouth curved into an amused grin, “You ask like that’s yours.”

 

“Hey, what’s yours is now mine and what’s mine  _is_  mine.” Jihoon gave him a half shrug, “it’s—”

 

“The rule of friendship?” Seongwoo says in a mocking tone. He’d heard Jihoon say this a dozen times.

 

“Yup.” Jihoon beams.

 

 

 

“Not to be that person but,” Jihoon looks at Seongwoo from the side, “You fucking suck at this.” He had been winning for the past four games they had played and Jihoon was getting pretty sick of it, Seongwoo telling him to pick up the god damn controller every time. “Honestly,” Seongwoo begins, “Yeah.” He sighs, tossing it on the side.

 

Jihoon follows him, lying on Daniel’s bed and looking up at the ceiling. “Don’t you have classes to go to?” Seongwoo groans. “Yeah, in like 2 hours.” He takes a pillow and positions it on the back of his head, getting comfortable. “When does Daniel’s class end?” Seongwoo asks, he remembers Daniel telling him but he isn’t sure. “Probably in 2 hours too. He wanted to at least perfect the routine he’s been working on.”

 

“Still on the same one?” Seongwoo’s forehead creased. When he’d seen what Daniel had completed three days ago, it already looked good. “Still the same.” Jihoon answers, “He does that for a week before he finally feels satisfied. I think Woojin ignited the burning passion within him even more.” Daniel had been gushing at how amazing Woojin was—always knowing how to dance in every genre and amazing him even more whenever he freestyles. Woojin had to slap him by the back of his head to shut him up, his face red and hot. Jaehwan, Minhyun’s new found friend, had to step out of the library to laugh outside.

 

“He’s going to have to calm down, though.” He sniffled, “He’s been spending his breaks at the dance room, you’d think he actually lives there.” Jihoon silently agrees, “Now that I think about it, you never really told us why Woojin asks you to teach him.” He muses, remembering Seongwoo telling them that a couple of nights ago.

 

Seongwoo gives him a half shrug, “I like dancing to pass time and I happen to meet Woojin over the summer in one of the dance centers I used to go to.” Jihoon’s turns to look at him, Seongwoo looked like he was in thought. “Why didn’t you take up dance though?” Seongwoo purses his lips before answering, “I ask myself that everytime too.” He starts, “I guess I like the combination of three things I like doing in one whole thing?”

 

Jihoon smiles in understanding, “Yeah,” He nods, “I kind of get you.”

 

“You also used to dance, right?” Seongwoo asks, looking at him “Why didn’t you?”

 

Jihoon avoids his stare and scratches his temple, “Well,” he starts, “Didn’t I tell you finding Neverland was the first musical I watched?” he cringes at how embarrassing this was. He didn’t really get to divulge in a full talk with Seongwoo about the musical since it wasn’t really brought up in their everyday conversation. “Yeah?”

 

“See,” He trails, “I may have changed my plan since I watched it.”

 

Seongwoo props himself up with one hand and catches Jihoon’s attention. His eyes wide, “You mean, because you saw me in that musical or something?”

 

“Technically, it’s not just you.” He winced. “I mean, yeah, for the most part.” He remembers the way the boy he’d seen quivering in sadness, his face painted in emotions Jihoon didn’t even know the word of. “You looked amazing on stage, almost blinding. You captured everyone’s attention when you stepped on it and it looked like you owned it despite the little scenes you had.”

 

He doesn’t even dare to look at Seongwoo. He knew the latter was going to mock him for being whipped but hey, despite sucking at everything, Seongwoo was the teacher’s prime example whenever they discussed in class. (“Seongwoo is a great student, a little lacking in class,yes, but he shines brighter than anyone on stage.” Jihoon couldn’t agree more.)

 

The silence is suffocating and he gets startled at the chuckle from the other side of the room, glancing at Seongwoo from the corners of his eyes. “Thanks, I guess.” Seongwoo grins, proud. He had given up many times since he’d started college, losing motivation and even skipping classes for the most part but somehow, he’s a little thankful that he didn’t.

 

Jihoon shakes his head, still a little shocked, still a little embarrassed. “Well, I mean, that was  _before_ , now you just suck.”

 

“Brat.” Seongwoo scowls, the usual bite gone, chuckling at how childish they were. He takes his phone out and looks at the notification, his forehead creasing before sitting up, startling Jihoon. “Wha—” The younger stutters out.

 

“I’ll be back.” Seongwoo hurriedly takes the jacket hanging by the corner, Jihoon observing him as he hurriedly walks towards the door. “You don’t have classes, right? You can stay here if you want, just lock the door if you leave.” He yells through putting his shoes on and then he was gone. Jihoon scratches at his temple. He rests back down and arches his hand when he feels something under the pillow. He takes it out and scans it, laughing.

 

 

 

 

_Jihoon takes the cassette deck from his side table, giddy as he remembers that his parents had given him a bunch of tapes as a present when they had gone out of country, one of which was blank and could be recorded. He had an affinity with retro themed things (for the moment, because last week he was gushing about how he wanted a car but of course his father wouldn’t let a 15-year-old get one. Daniel was just another story.) and his father had given him his old cassette player._

_He hears chattering from outside and goes down the staircase to find his parents, brother, and Daniel were seated, breakfast served between them. “Oh, you’re here.” His mother noticed, “Daniel was just about to wake you up.” He nods, thanking god that he didn’t. Daniel waking up Jihoon happened maybe once a month and whenever it does, he hated it. He’d always kick his bed and it woke him up in fright. It worked, yes, but he could also die of a heart attack._

_He takes a sit between his brother and Daniel and sets his player down._

_Jihoon sings along the music, one end of the earphone in his ear and the other at Daniel’s. They were lying down on the side of the pool, their feet submerged in water, the heat of the summer sun ceasing their earlier enthusiasm to go out as they wait for their friends to arrive instead. “I didn’t think this still existed.” Daniel begins, observing the player._

_“Yeah, Honestly, I thought dad would have thrown everything by now.” he answers, “I actually liked it because I can record my voice—wait.” He removes the earphones and reaches for his backpack, looking through the tapes he brought before picking the one he had originally been saving. “I have a blank one, we can record our voices here.”_

_Daniel props himself up with his arm and looks at it, “You mean, you want us to sing or something?”_

_Jihoon removes the earpiece on, his face a mixture of horror and amusement and when he sets his eyes on Daniel, the laugh he was holding back takes over him. “Oh my god,” He thwacks his hand against Daniel’s shaking form, laughing. “We’re—We sound like dying whales.” Daniel pushes him by the shoulder, “We’re not in our best condition.” Jihoon reasons out, wiping the tears forming on his eyes from laughing._

_They’d decided to record themselves singing their favorite rap song but somehow,they’ve forgotten the lyrics in the middle and made up unintelligible words, Daniel making weird sounds at the back and Jihoon’s voice cracking one too many times. So much for valuing the tape, it even had a gold flowery design that Jihoon particularly liked._

_“This one’s yours.” Jihoon tosses him the tape after removing it. “I don’t want it.” Daniel crinkles his nose. Jihoon glares at him and before he could talk, however, they hear the sound of their friends talking with Daniel’s mother from inside the house._

 

 

 

He raises it above his eyes and smiles at the glistening gold. He really had spent his entire life with Daniel, huh. There’s so much in this room alone that reminds him of their childhood that he smiles to himself at the memories. “What an idiot.” He mutters despite the smile on his face. He wouldn’t trade their friendship for the world.

 

He hears keys from outside and props himself up, he didn’t even notice 30 minutes had passed since he lied down, the game still on pause. He places the tape back to where he took it thinking it was Daniel and gets surprised when Seongwoo enters the room, looking at the ground as he holds on his cheeks.

 

“Hyung?” he asks, startling Seongwoo. He didn’t even notice Jihoon was there. “Oh,” Seongwoo stutters out, avoiding his stare. “I thought you went back.” Jihoon sits up and scans his face, “Are you alright? Your face is—”

 

They get startled at the door opening and Seongwoo turns to look at Daniel, his eyes wide as he notices the atmosphere. “What’s going on?” Daniel asks, frowning. Seongwoo dismisses him with a wave of his hand, “Nah,” He starts, eyes trailing on Jihoon. “We were just about to play another round.” Daniel nods, narrowing his eyes at Jihoon. The latter looks at Seongwoo before shrugging. “I don’t think we’d really  _play_. Seongwoo-Hyung sucks ass.”

 

"Oh, like  _you_  would know."

 

 

 

 

“Fuck,” Jihoon curses, punching Daniel by the shoulder. “I mean, I can finally understand why Seongwoo-hyung and you are friends. You fucking don’t know where your right is?” He scowls, the big, fat “loser” above their team irking more than it should. They had been playing this game for more than an hour and Jihoon, with all the patience that he could muster, was done.

 

“Hey,” Daniel whines, “I’m not  _that_  bad. I mean, I at least survived the first 10 minutes. Dumbass here,” He points at Seongwoo who flips him off. “died on the first 5.”

 

Jihoon closes his eyes at his reason, pinching the bridge of his nose. Where was coherence when you needed one?

 

 

 

 

Jihoon spends the afternoon there until Seongwoo had to leave for class, glancing at him—a silent agreement to never speak of what happened to anyone. Jihoon rolls his eyes and nods, his hair ruffled by the older. “dumbass.” He mutters as he heads back to the game.

 

“You look close with Seongwoo-hyung.” Daniel mutters, his body moving along with the game. Jihoon never really understands why he does that. “Yup,” Jihoon beams, “An asshole at times, but he’s pretty useful.” He thinks back on the many times his notes saved him.

 

“True,” Daniel shrugs, “If only he could clean our room too.”

 

Jihoon snorts, “You’re one to talk.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon gathers his notes and stands up, walks towards his friends and waits for them to finish. “I can’t believe we have another project.” One of them says and Jihoon couldn’t help but agree. They had just passed the scrapbook Jihoon was done and over it with and another teacher drops a bomb at them. Their teacher decided that instead of the usual exams, why not give a performance task for their midterms with the whole class participating for a mini play, right?

 

“I just barely passed that god damn scrapbook.” Jihoon mutters as his friend, Donghan, agrees. “I  _know_ , I can’t believe you passed with that godawful trash.” He guffaws, fist bumping with the one next to him. Jihoon should have known that befriending the person who got screamed at on the first day of classes should have been avoided. He glares at him before transferring his attention to the other person laughing—because despite Donghan’s sorry excuse for a scrapbook, his looked better than the four of them combined. “Excuse you but I’m not the who passed trash with the glue still wet.” Jihoon grimaces as he remembers the mess it made in Hyungseob’s bag.

 

Hyungseob scowls before standing up, puffing his chest exaggeratedly. “You wanna go at it?” The other begins, playfully pushing him by the shoulders. “Shut up, Hyungseob.” Someone says from behind, giving up on his fixing his hair. There was only so much he could do with bleached hair. Taming it is not one of it. “Aren’t you,” He points at Jihoon, “Late for something?”

 

“Late for what?” Donghan asks, looking up from his phone.

 

Jihoon sighs, crinkling his nose as he takes a notebook out and hands it to Hyungseob. “My parents are visiting us so they kind of want to see us before they actually work.” Jihoon had been messaging his parents ever since, occasionally talking to them via call or video that he didn’t notice how long he’d been staying here—away from his parents, away from the place he grew up in. “Make sure you don’t spill anything on it, please, or I will end you.” He looks at Hyungseob in the eye before looking at his wristwatch.

 

“Catch you later.” He taps on the blonde’s back before waving and exiting the room.

 

Jihoon was actually skeptical at first when Donghan approached him during class and asked if he had a spare pen (Who goes to war without a sword?) but then the latter was actually friendly and even asked Jihoon if he wanted to have lunch together thinking that the other was alone. Before he could reply, however, Jihoon gets a call from Woojin asking him where he was.

 

He had promised the other lunch the next day, surprised at the familiar faces on their table. “Found new friends.” Donghan shrugged. He knew Hyungseob because the latter was friends with Yoojung but he hasn’t seen the blonde next to Donghan. “He was absent the first week” Donghan points at the latter who squirms under their gaze, “His name is Haknyeon.” He doesn’t even know how it happened but the next thing Jihoon knows he was in this little circle. Haknyeon, unlike his earlier bashfulness, was cheeky after the first few minutes.

 

Walking towards the other department, he spots some of the people he knows and occasionally bows or smile to greet them—a friend of a friend, a senior, even some students from other departments who he’d gotten acquainted with. Specially some people from the dance department. He waits by the staircase and takes out his phone, sitting on the bottom step and taps away at it to inform Daniel that he was waiting.

 

Humming to himself, he hears voices from the end of the hallway and scrunches his brows. “Shut the fuck up,” someone snarls, hearing the echo of something hitting the wall or lockers, he isn’t sure. He scratches his temple as he sees students scutter away towards the exit before craning his neck and pushing himself up to look at what was going on, noticing a familiar face, few meters ahead of him, his back on the wall, his hand holding on to his stomach. Seongwoo was with two other guys, the students either avoiding them by turning the other way or ignoring them. “Wha—” He blurts out and he’s pretty sure the latter had seen him, his eyes widening before turning to look away.

 

Before Jihoon could react, Seongwoo is dragged by the arm by one of the men, hands tight around his arm as Seongwoo tries to laugh at it. “Hey, you can’t do this, come on. I was just playing around.” Jihoon doesn’t hear their response and instead stands up to dust off his pants. Jogging towards the end of the hall to turn at the corner exit, scanning the area before he sees students glancing at the side of the building, the one hidden by a huge oak tree Jihoon found uncanny.

 

Jihoon peaks at the corner before his eyes widen. Taking out his phone, he holds it to his face. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asks, hoping the worry in his voice is concealed. He wasn’t exactly afraid of fighting them—he had a black belt for christ’ sake and he even took up boxing to waste time—He was just worried that they’d get expelled and he might really kill them if they do.

 

He looks at Seongwoo from the side, his arm between one of the men’s fingers, red from being held tightly. One of them looks at him and Jihoon notices how taller they were, “I already called the teachers so if you’re going to do something to me, go ahead.” Jihoon gives them a smile and is thoroughly satisfied by the grunt he receives, removing his hand on Seongwoo’s before staring him down.

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel bends to his sides, stretching, before rolling his shoulders, standing up as soon as the teacher had dismissed them. He always wondered why they had to sit through class when he could just spend his entire time in the practice room. But then he remembers his father, nagging at him to go to class because it would help him in the future.

 

“Please tell me you’re actually free today.” One of his friends tell him, a scowl on his face as he looks at Daniel gathering his things. Soonyoung was technically a friend of a friend in Busan, occasionally meeting up with him whenever he was in Seoul. “Not today,” Daniel grins, the other scoffs. “I knew it. I feel like it’s useless to even ask you now.” He whines. “Hey, it’s not my fault I have a life.” Daniel sticks out his tongue. Soonyoung throws a balled-up paper at his face. “I’m going to invite Jihoon instead.” He mutters.

 

“You can try. I doubt he’d want to hang with you though.” Daniel snorts, Jihoon was close to him as well, although as much as the latter would like to admit, he was closer to Soonyoung’s friends than he was with him. “Our parents are here to visit us, I’ll promise I’d come the next time.” Daniel slings his backpack on one shoulder and starts walking. “ _Sure, they are_ and  _sure, you are._  I’m a little convinced that you don’t like me.” He shrugs, Daniel pushes him by the shoulder.

 

“Shut up,” Daniel mutters, a slight scowl on his face. ”This conversation’s getting nowhere and I’m late.” He taps him by the back before the latter nods, bidding goodbye.

 

 

 

 

Seongwoo looks at Jihoon before resuming, hissing when he so much as stretch. “You look like you want to ask me something,” he starts, taking the cold pack Jihoon hands him, “So I’m letting you ask 2 questions.” He looks at him and raises his brows, smiling. “Of course, you have to do the same.” Jihoon rolls his eyes before looking at the visible bruise on his arm.

 

When the men had left with them bumping their shoulders at him—he never really gets the idea behind this—Seongwoo had crouched down on the ground which alarmed him. “Are you okay?” He asks, worried. Maybe he should have dropped kick them. Seongwoo dismisses him with a wave of the hand and promises of being fine. It took him minutes for him to convince Seongwoo to rest on a bench, too worried for him to walk to the dorm. (“I don’t really want to carry your dead body on my back”)

 

“That,” he stutters out, not knowing if he should ask. “That happens often?” he cringes at his words, he was never the right person for comfort. There were a lot of things he wanted to say yet despite the many words that existed, he always seem to come up with the dumbest thing.

 

Seongwoo must have noticed the stutter in his voice because he chuckles at him before shrugging. “I guess.” He takes one of the drink Jihoon had bought him and sips on it, Jihoon waits for him to continue but deems it done when the latter continues to drink. “Is it because  _you know_ ” he emphasizes. At this point, he doesn’t even care if he sounds rude. Seongwoo did tell him he had two chances. “ _you know_ , what?” Seongwoo raises his brows at him.

 

“You know,  _that_.” Why can’t he get it?

 

“Do you mean because I sleep around?” Seongwoo snorts at the expression on Jihoon’s face. “I didn’t say it but yeah, that.” Jihoon shrugs. His face felt hot and the vibration in his pocket was probably Daniel but he didn’t think leaving someone who almost had an alarming encounter was something his father would approve of. “I don’t really sleep around—okay fine I do—but not  _that_  much. Besides, I only go for people who are single and want me for a night just as much as I want them.”

 

Jihoon crinkles his nose at the information, “And you do it because?”

 

Seongwoo looks at him for a moment before shrugging, “Your chances are up.” He snickers at the scowl Jihoon gives him “So,” he starts, “What’s the real score between you and Daniel?” He asks. Seongwoo may have been stopping them from stabbing each other most of the time when they were in their room or anywhere, actually, but the lingering touches they had and how Daniel was protective of Jihoon—and vice versa because Jihoon almost went at it with someone for purposely bumping into Daniel—wasn’t exactly  _just_  friendship. Minhyun didn’t even visit him when he was in the hospital, Daniel would probably cry himself if Jihoon so much as get a cold.

 

Jihoon raises his brows, the corner of his lips upturned, amused. “Score?” he snorts. “There’s nothing going on between us if that’s what’s your asking.” He shakes his head at the idea. Sure, he was openly bisexual and his friends knew that but he wasn’t going to go for Daniel. Daniel was his friend. That was a no-zone as it is.

 

“Either you’re acting dumb or you’re secretly going out.” Seongwoo concludes. Daniel wasn’t exactly quite when they were together, always talking about things mostly involving Jihoon.

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel looks at his wristwatch and taps on his phone while clicking his tongue. He had been waiting for more than 15 minutes now and usually he wouldn’t mind but they were late and Jihoon wasn’t answering his phone and they were meeting their parents, he doesn’t think he could go through another lecture of time management from his parents much more from both of theirs.

 

He feels a tap on his shoulder and sighs in relief, turning around only to scowl a little. “Well, that’s a  _great_ way of greeting someone.” The other starts. “Shut up, Donghan.” He mutters, his phone on his ear, still ringing. “Have you seen Jihoon?”

 

Donghan shrugs, “I was just about to ask you that.” He hands him the notebook Jihoon had given them earlier, already finished copying his notes, Daniel takes it without another word, already used to this. “That dumbass isn’t answering his phone.” Donghan looks at him before patting his back, “Well, unfortunately, I’m busy so…” he trails, waving his hand and laughing as Daniel gives him the finger.

 

He looks at his phone when it redirects to voicemail and cancels it, typing a message to both the idiot and his parents. He gets shocked, however, at the notification and reads it before he could press send.

 

                   From: baby demon

                   I’ll be a little late. You can go ahead

 

Daniel furrows his brows. If he could write a message with proper symbols, he could have answered his calls and maybe explain a little why. His phone rings and he curses a little because it was his father. “Hi, dad” He quips, “Yes—He did?—Okay—I’ll go ahead—Yep—Bye.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“He’s just…” Jihoon starts, solemn “A little overprotective.” Seongwoo watches him from the corner of his eyes, “Overprotective is an understatement though. I’m pretty sure you’re stronger than him when it comes to hitting—okay, I mean, you have a black belt, right?” Seongwoo crinkles his nose in exhasperation. “He always looked about ready to sock me in the eye.”

 

The silence that takes over them after isn’t what made Seongwoo hyper aware of the atmosphere, it was becase Jihoon was fidgeting, his expression looked pensive at most and he suddenly remembers Minhyun telling him that he always says the wrong things at the wrong time, not knowing when to stop and read the atmosphere. Just when he was about to playfully punch him or maybe make a joke or two, Jihoon talks in a small voice. “He’s just a little wary of relationship between friends.”

 

He crouches down to hear him, “come again?” he asks before Jihoon lets out a huge sigh, shaking his head a little “Hyung,” Jihoon starts, “Come on, I’ll walk you to the dorm.” He stands up and offers a hand. Seongwoo looks at it before looking at Jihoon, “Why?” he asks. Jihoon narrows his eyes, “What do you mean why? Your arm is bruised up and with the way you’re touching your stomach, I doubt that’s because you’re hungry.”

 

True. He’d been sweating bullets since earlier. “Fine,” Seongwoo grumbles, “But I’m going alone. Your phone’s been ringing since earlier.” Jihoon takes it out, looks at the screen before ending the call. “It’s okay, I already told them I’ll be a little late.” He'd thought 15 minutes late but hey, he helped someone. “And no, what if you passed out in the middle of the school and nobody sees you and you die?”

 

“Shut the fuck up, Jihoon.” Seongwoo holds his temple, a headache already coming.

 

“Okay, but let’s go."

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon jogs to the restaurant they usually go to whenever they would travel, seeing them through the glassed pane and cringing. 15 minutes late was okay but 45 minutes was pushing it, they would have finished eating by now. He had to pass by the convenience store and run back to the dorm to give Seongwoo some pain relief--worried that his dumbass self wouldn't do anything to treat himself. He enters the place and gains the attention his mother who gestures at Daniel, a scowl on the latter's face, hands folded in front of him.

 

“I can’t believe you ditched me.” Jihoon sighs. “It’s—” Jihoon remembers Seongwoo asking him not to tell anyone because it wasn’t a big deal—clearly it was though—he'd probably have to talk to Seongwoo about this once more. “I forgot I needed to pass something.” He kisses his mom on the cheeks before sitting on the available seat next to her. “Hi, dad” He grins, “Sorry, I’m late.”

 

His father shakes his head no, “It’s okay, we already ate though.” He points at Daniel, “Daniel only ate a little since he waited for you.” He grins at Daniel who mocks his smile. “Yeah, but there’s no more wings for you.” He takes the last piece of wings despite Jihoon’s protest. “What the fu—I mean, come on.” He side-eyes his parents who were looking at him and fakes a laugh at the slip of the tongue. They didn’t need to know their son cursed liked a machine gun.

 

 

 

 

As they talk about the past month and what they have been up to over the course of the meal, Daniel’s father receives a call in the middle, momentarily taking it and going outside. “Why are you guys here, by the way? Besides, checking up on us, of course.” Daniel beams at his mother who gave him a once over. “Well, we’re actually meeting somebody we haven’t seen for ages.”

 

Daniel’s father comes back at the table, “You remember our friend Park Doyoung, right?” He asks, Daniel doesn’t miss the flinch in Jihoon’s hands. “The owner of Park enterprise?”

 

“Of course,” Jihoon’s father pipes in. “Sooyoung was their playmate, right Jihoon?” Jihoon sets his spoon down and nods, looking at the food as he tries to avoid the heated stare Daniel was giving him. “Yup.” Daniel's claps his hands in realization, “Oh, right. You guys used to spend summers together whenever she visited.” He smiles fondly at the memories of the three kids playing in their garden.

 

“Yeah…” Daniel trails. “Anyway,” His father points at his phone, “Her father’s here for a meeting. Unfortunately, she won’t be coming due to school schedules.” Jihoon and Daniel sighs in relief.

 

 

 

 

_Park Sooyoung was a lot of things._

_She was brave, smart, bold, snarky, and wouldn’t back down when she wanted things._

_Daniel met Sooyoung in one of the many parties his dad forced him to attend with, her hair tied up in a bun, cheeks flushed as she gives her younger sisters food, placing them on plates and telling them to behave._

_Jihoon met Sooyoung when he came over Daniel’s house one evening, his parents in tow, comfortable enough to barge in their house. He gets surprised however with startled eyes and pigtails._

_Daniel liked Sooyoung in high school, her short summer break spent in korea—round eyes with hints of a maturing beauty, soft laughs. She may have matured but her punches are as hard as ever._

_Jihoon liked someone, Sooyoung knew._

 

“Jihoon,” Daniel starts, looking at Jihoon from the corner of his eyes. Jihoon had been fiddling with the sleeves of his shirt ever since their parents had dropped the off the stop—they had a hard time convincing them that they didn’t mind the little walk back to the dorm. “Hm?” He asks, not looking at Daniel. His gaze was on the ground as he kicks rocks and watches them fly a meter ahead.

 

“You know what happened isn’t important, right?” Daniel asks, cautious. Jihoon nods a little, “It  _is_  important. It's just that It happened years ago, of course it isn’t as relevant.” He mutters, almost frustrated. “I just feel like I ruined—”

 

“Excuse me,” He stops on his track and turns to the girl who approached them, her hair in a tight bun, cheeks red from the spring breeze, he isn’t sure. “Can I have a bit of your time?” She asks, looking at Daniel. Daniel looks at her before he looks at Jihoon who gestures it was okay. The latter taps on his back, “I’ll wait for you at the entrance of the dorm. If I get cold, I’ll probably be inside though.” He doesn’t wait for him to respond and jogs the few meters ahead.

 

 

 

 

Jihoon runs his hand through his hair as he looks at the ceiling from the couch in the loby, waiting for Daniel. His mind wonders back to Sooyoung and remembers the many summer spent.

 

Sooyoung may have been older than her, just as much as Daniel was, but she didn’t want Jihoon to call her with formalities—didn’t think it was cute—she only used it whenever she forced Daniel to do something, which was more fortunate for him, honestly. He wonders how Daniel survived the two of them during childhood, they were like two peas in a pod.

 

His thoughts are interrupted when he hears the door opening and sees Daniel approach him. He pushes himself up from the couch and starts walking up the stairs. He doesn’t notice the solemn look Daniel has and finds it weird when the latter follows behind him—Jihoon had early classes tomorrow and he didn’t want anyone killing him in his sleep.

 

“If you’re going to sleep here, you’re sleeping on the floor.” He turns to look at him and raises his brow at the latter. Daniel raises his head to look at him in the eye, thoughtful. “She confessed to me.”

 

Jihoon jumped at the feeling of Daniel’s hand on his wrist, gentle and warm. “Yeah?” he asks, he looks at his wrist before back at Daniel, staring at him with the same intensity, the same fervor.

 

“What,” Daniel starts, “What do you think I should do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've read the first few chapters of this story and admittedly, it **sUcKED!1!** so i may be editing some few scenes to make it less cringy and less ungff. No major changes in the story though so you don't have to re-read it. It's just that you might want to and you get shocked.
> 
>  
> 
> *********  
> I know this issue has been addressed on twitter, but please don't romanticise rape, cheating, abuse, or any forms of things that (1) has no consent and (2) leaves the character traumatized. Serious topics such as these should not be taken lightly and should lead to the direction that it needs to be--which is jail, if needed. These characters are real people who happen to be in the same band and in the same dormitory, please treat them as such.


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